IFJ General Secretary Aidan White met Indian Minister of Information and Communication Pramod Mahajan on 9 June 1999.
White raised the IFJ's concerns, similar to those raised by other organisations, about the ban on Pakistan television by the Indian authorities. The IFJ notes that on the issue of the ban on Pakistan's broadcasts, the Indian authorities have offered more information on the reasons for their actions than has EUTELSAT, which has still not responded to an IFJ letter on the suspension of RTS broadcasts (see IFEX alerts of 1 June, 28 May and 27 May 1999). The following is a summary of the response by Mahajan.
Mahajan stated that only cable television services were affected and that existing terrestrial arrangements remain. The decision to ban the broadcasts followed fifteen days of monitoring the Pakistani broadcasts. A report on this monitoring will be provided to the IFJ.
The minister also stated that Pakistani broadcasts will be allowed to resume within twenty-four hours of the end of the current hostilities. The minister stated that there was evidence that Pakistani artillery has attacked Indian TV transmitters.
