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THE JAMMU district administration has ordered all cable operators to stop airing 11 Pakistani television channels that are involved in anti- India propaganda and sometimes allegedly arouse religious passions.

The administration asked the operators if they have permission to transmit these channels.

In case an operator doesn’t have the permission to transmit a foreign channel, the channel is considered illegal, according to the Cable Television Regulation and Guidelines Act.

The notices were issued by Jammu deputy commissioner M. K. Dwivedi after it was brought to his notice that some operators were airing Pakistani channels in violation of the Act.

Dwivedi said notices have been issued to all cable operators in the district.

“ The operators are supposed to reply within a period of two days whether they have the permission to air these foreign channels or not,” he said. As these channels were not registered with the information and broadcasting ministry, they were illegal, he added.

The banned channels include QTV, ARY, PTV, Geo, Dawn, Express TV, Waqt, Noor, Hadi, Aaj TV and Peace TV. Cable operators have already stopped airing these channels.

This is the second time the authorities have taken Pakistani channels off air because of their anti- India propaganda. Earlier, the ban was imposed in 2008, but lifted after a strong reaction from the Muslim community.

Sources in the district administration said the channels have been taken off air because of the sensitive social fabric of Jammu district that includes a significant population of Muslims.

But the local Muslim community has condemned the decision.

Shia Federation Jammu and Anjumani Imamia — the two organisations that exert influence over the community in Jammu — have decided to launch a protest against the order of the administration.

“ This is interference in the affairs of the minority community,” Aashiq Khan, president of Shia Federation Jammu, said.

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District authorities said the channels were airing anti- India propaganda and trying to arouse religious passions

Cable operators have been asked if they had permission to transmit the channels

Jammu’s Muslim community has protested against the move, calling it interference.