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On Mehbooba's intervention, newspapers asked to resume publication 7/18/2016 11:23:15 PM Early Times Report Srinagar, July 18: In a surprise development, the government on Monday evening asked the Srinagar -based newspapers to resume publication though the government spokesman Naeem Akhter had asked them to be off till July 19. Highly placed sources said Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti observed that it was against the right to freedom of expression to keep the media gagged and that she didn't want to behave the way her predecessor Omar Abdullah acted in 2010, when newspaper publication in Kashmir remained suspended for days together during street protests, which claimed over 120 lives. Sources said the Chief Minister called an emergency meeting this afternoon to discuss the matter and "look at the pros and cons of keeping the newspaper publications suspended." It was reliably learnt that senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh had already expressed dismay over media gag. Sources said a section of ministers and senior officials of police were against the resumption of newspaper services pleading that it "will aggravate the situation". But CM's Minister Advisor Amitabh Mattoo candidly told the meeting that "freedom of press should not be mixed with crises for any matter." Sources said Mattoo told the Chief Minister that let the government do its own job for restoration of law and order in restive Kashmir while media be allowed to do its own job, without mixing the two. Sources said Mehooba was impressed by the viewpoint and she decided that the media be allowed to work freely without any pulls or pressures. By around 6:00 PM, sources said, the media was asked to resume publication. Some of the newspapers, however, declined to resume work today. "We were asked to close publication by spokesman Naeem Akhter who had imposed the gag, unless he issues orders on resumption of publication, we won't resume our work."   Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network     Comment on this Story

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