National Conference has condemned the thrashing of journalists by security forces at the gun fight site at Fateh kadal here on Wednesday.
In a statement party’s provincial spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said, “Thrashing the journalistic fraternity and stopping them from discharging their professional duties is condemnable and seems to have become order of the day. The other day journalists were also thrashed in Anantnag while performing their duties.”
Imran said that job of reporting has put the lives of the journalists at risk and the uncertainty has left the job unsafe, “Almost everyone in Kashmir has been affected by the conflict that raged, directly or indirectly. And the list of the messengers is also not a short one,” he said.
Dar said, “The journalistic and press fraternity is already working under duress in Kashmir. Kashmir press fraternity has suffered immensely and the history of journalism is replete with sacrifices. Journalists have paid for covering conflict.”
Imran said that the journalists are the unsung heroes whose work and courage goes unappreciated, “Journalism is not a crime, and press has a fundamental role in maintaining democratic institutions and guarding the rights of citizenry,” he said.
He said that acts like these cannot undermine the importance of free press.”Journalists are the eyes and years of people, and any attempt to harm those tantamount to harm the very plinth of democracy and freedom of speech,” he added.
The provincial spokesperson implored upon the Governor’s administration to look into a matter and expedite an investigation and lend justice to the victims. “The need of the hour is to sensitize the forces about the working of press,” he said.
MAINTAIN STOCK OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES IN FAR-FLUNG AREAS
Meanwhile, general secretary of National Conference Ali Muhammad Sagar has urged the Governor’s administration to maintain the necessary stock of food and other crucial items in the far flung areas of Kashmir before the onset of winter. “The administration should put in place the stock of necessary items in the areas which get cutoff during the winters. People in far flung areas have to suffer when it snows; government should promptly ensure that essential commodities are stored in those areas where connectivity is an issue,” he said.
Sagar said that the stock position of essential commodities is not sufficient in far-flung areas of Kargil and Leh regions including Keran Marwa, and Dashan. “We are in touch with our party functionaries from those far-flung areas and the reports that are pouring in aren’t satisfactory,” he added.