President of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mehbooba Mufti, has said that the honor and dignity of journalists in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) are being systematically undermined. She highlighted that senior journalists are being harassed, while the territory’s elected government, led by Omar Abdullah, has remained silent on the issue.

According to Kashmir Media Service, speaking at a press conference in Srinagar, Mehbooba Mufti highlighted how journalists reporting on the profiling of mosques and Imams are being summoned to police stations, creating a climate of fear and intimidation within the media community. She noted that the people of Kashmir had hoped the elected government would address pressing public issues, and journalists too expected their concerns to be addressed.

However, she lamented, the National Conference (NC)-led government has chosen to remain silent on these matters. Mehbooba Mufti further said that journalists propagating the official narrative are being rewarded, and media outlets supporting the government’s stance are awarded advertisements and accreditation.

The PDP leader further pointed out that although Omar Abdullah recently met with Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, the issues related to journalists and the profiling of mosques were not raised during the discussion. Emphasizing the vital role of journalists in society, Mehbooba Mufti called for the protection of their honor and dignity, urging the police to stop the practice of summoning journalists for questioning in IIOJK.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)