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India takes Al Jazeera off air in Kashmir map row

AFP Published April 22, 2015
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NEW DELHI: India's government took Al Jazeera news channel off the air on Wednesday for five days after officials insisted it had repeatedly shown wrong maps of disputed Kashmir.

Al Jazeera in India showed a blue screen on Wednesday with a sign saying “as instructed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, this channel will not be available”.

An official said the order was made earlier this month over the maps that showed parts of the Himalayan Kashmir region in Pakistan and in China ─ an extremely sensitive issue in India.

“The ban has been imposed for five days and it was done on instructions of an inter-ministerial committee, who took cognisance of an incorrect map of India in which the channel showed parts of Kashmir in Pakistan and China,” the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The order comes amid a simmering censorship row in India over a series of recent bans that have sparked accusations of a growing climate of intolerance under Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

They include a ban on screening a BBC documentary on the fatal gang-rape of a student that sparked mass protests in Delhi.

Read more: India bans broadcast of documentary about Delhi gang-rape

Al Jazeera India bureau chief Anmol Saxena said the channel has “made representations to the ministry” and was hopeful of having the order revoked.

According to local media reports, Al Jazeera breached India's broadcasting code over the maps shown in 2014 and 2013, which on some occasions also did not include the Lakshadweep and Andaman islands.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan but both claim the whole of the region and have gone to war twice over its control since partition in 1947.

New Delhi imposes tight restrictions on all printed maps, insisting they show all of Kashmir as being part of India.

The Indian government in 2011 ordered The Economist magazine to cover up a map of disputed borders in Kashmir. The news weekly placed white stickers over a diagram of the borders on 28,000 copies on sale in India.

“Eventually India might realise how idiotic this looks,” the magazine's South Asia bureau chief Adam Roberts tweeted over the order against Al Jazeera.

Read more: Indian govt changing Kashmir's demographic: foreign secretary

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Suresh
Apr 22, 2015 01:39pm
Does anyone even watch this channel in India?
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jakoji
Apr 22, 2015 01:42pm
Good.. no false propaganda should be allowed
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Great giant
Apr 22, 2015 01:44pm
Loss of revenue is for the channel, there are more than 25 news channels in India which broadcast news 24/7, so consumers won't miss the channel. Market share will surely be lost. Hopefully next time onwards guidelines of the government are followed.
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Sanjay Guha
Apr 22, 2015 01:45pm
Five days ban. Big deal. I doubt this channel has any viewership in India.
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ysk
Apr 22, 2015 01:46pm
@Suresh then stop crying over it
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riyaz ahmad
Apr 22, 2015 01:47pm
@Suresh yes we in kashmir Watch this with whole heartedly
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Honey Singh
Apr 22, 2015 01:47pm
There is no such channel in India....
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rehan
Apr 22, 2015 01:48pm
@Suresh Doesn't matter at all. Contrary to what India keeps telling us , it is not the center of the universe. Al-Jazeera is definitely watched by a considerable number of views. Can't say the same about "Doordarshan" ( is this how you spell it? I never bothered with Indian news or entertainment channels , you know)
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ubermeow
Apr 22, 2015 01:49pm
It's good that the government of India has taken a firm stand against a foreign news channel for not respecting the territorial integrity of the country. This is an example of lax reporting amounting to breach of trust, especially, since Al Jazeera maintains a bureau in India therefore bound the laws of the country. Banning misrepresentation is not censorship!
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faisal
Apr 22, 2015 01:50pm
Only civilized world watch this channel...
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Tariq
Apr 22, 2015 01:53pm
Why a disputed or occupied land are the source of such intolerance. Al-Jazeera has no link with Pakistan or Kashimri's movement, so why a such a harsh reaction from GOI.
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srk fan
Apr 22, 2015 01:54pm
good action no one shud be allowed to poke news in our internal matters!!
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Jay Patel
Apr 22, 2015 01:55pm
Very well step taken by Government of India. Law is equal to everyone, no matter how rich and affluent you are. Media need to adhere country's law.
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Jay Patel
Apr 22, 2015 01:57pm
Al-Jazeera can opt justice from court if they think they are still right. Even kasab gets fair trial and defence for him self. However, I clearly see that government has acted very efficiently to the channel which has broken the law of the land and therefore, it is justified act. Well done Modi government.
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Padmakar
Apr 22, 2015 02:00pm
No false propaganda allowed in India, good move.
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B.Saleem
Apr 22, 2015 02:01pm
How Stupid!!
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Sunil
Apr 22, 2015 02:04pm
Al-Jazeera is banned in many countries, such as Algeria, Israel, China, Egypt, Iraq, Palestine, Syria, US and now India bans it.
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Talking Point
Apr 22, 2015 02:06pm
@ysk :" Stop crying over it" .This is not a matter of US drones bombing your country's west for well over a decade and masterly "look the other way " by your military . Countries with self respect act to stop. Not to stoop to their Masters!
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DV
Apr 22, 2015 02:07pm
Their reports are still behind the Bar in Egypt so, should be..
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Paladin
Apr 22, 2015 02:08pm
@Suresh, then why the burn if no one is watching it?
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Jason
Apr 22, 2015 02:10pm
Great to see India standing up to these major corporates. Such show of strength was only displayed by US till now.
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Saqib
Apr 22, 2015 02:16pm
People in China and Cuba have more freedom then in india.
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Saqib
Apr 22, 2015 02:18pm
They cant force people of Kashmir or Pakistan, now trying to force everyone else to live in their dream reality. Good luck.
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rehan
Apr 22, 2015 02:20pm
It's amusing to see Indians justify this act of intolerance and immaturity. Nice going Modi. You are really making India the laughing stock of the entire world. The show must go on :-)
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Guru
Apr 22, 2015 02:22pm
@Suresh : I watch this channel and it is better than other English News channels that we have
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Sajjad
Apr 22, 2015 02:27pm
Why are they afraid.
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Sandeep
Apr 22, 2015 02:29pm
AlJazeera is one of the most balanced news Channels I have seen. Though its founded by the Qatar govt ;its coverage is really top notch. It has a very interesting set of programmes as well. Its so much better than any sensationalist Indian/Pakistan news channels who seem to be agenda driven.
Recommend 0
NORI
Apr 22, 2015 02:30pm
@faisal This channel became famous (or notorious) with OBL videos. That tells who are interested in this channel.
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haris
Apr 22, 2015 02:32pm
What 'ban' on a channel? Who did it? It's India ... OK they are the thriving nation... they can do it? It's according to the norms of the World.
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iNDIAN
Apr 22, 2015 02:45pm
nO, It is not taken off air in my place. Now it's 3:20 Pm.
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KM
Apr 22, 2015 02:49pm
@riyaz ahmad Ahan, on which is this telecast? Tata Sky or Reliance or Dish TV? Lemme know.
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SUMA
Apr 22, 2015 02:49pm
Good Move by Govt, can you tolerate if some one saying that wall of your house belongs to your neighbor?. People fight for only wall of house then what India should do if its territory is not shown incorrectly. I think this is smaller penalty.
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Factual
Apr 22, 2015 02:51pm
UN provides maps which are accepted by civilized nations. As far as I know Kashmir has a status of 'disputed territory' as per UN.
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KM
Apr 22, 2015 02:52pm
@Paladin Not burning. Just taking a truthful stand. Like all self respecting countries/individuals do.
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Sahil
Apr 22, 2015 02:54pm
I like al Jazeera but wont tolerate their maps goof up. 5 days ban will make them learn...and if they do not then they will be banned forever. Can they really afford to loose one fifth of the worlds population in one go?
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Zoab Khan
Apr 22, 2015 02:55pm
India and Israel on parallel paths.
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abhishek
Apr 22, 2015 03:00pm
@Saqib lol really. Have u heard Facebook twitter in China? Really man get your facts right
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zak
Apr 22, 2015 03:10pm
@Suresh The whole world, including Indians, hence the attempt to hide reality. India needs a mirror to see how foolish they are looking to the world. They hide reality and want the rest of the world to hide it as well. This 2015, wake up Rip van winkle.!
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sandeep
Apr 22, 2015 03:12pm
@riyaz ahmad u must be in pakistan
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sadam gurmani
Apr 22, 2015 03:19pm
so called freedom of expression of Inia.
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usman
Apr 22, 2015 03:19pm
Kashmir is disputed territory , it is not part of india as there was no voting done as per UN, therefore india the terrorist has no right to do such things in kashmir
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haris
Apr 22, 2015 03:23pm
When ARY and GEO were forced to go off-air during Gen. Musharaf era the entire stood against the Govt. act whereas Indian commentators are making lame excuses to justify the intolerable act of their Govt. Difference is evident.
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Sunil
Apr 22, 2015 03:42pm
@B.Saleem It is in the interest of the country. Salman Rushdie controversial book" Satanic Versus" India was the first country to ban.
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Saqib
Apr 22, 2015 03:51pm
This is indian democracy, hollow to its core.
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Saqib
Apr 22, 2015 03:52pm
India, is it a country or a joke.
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A shah
Apr 22, 2015 04:13pm
Makes you think if they can't even get a map right, how accurate is there news?
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A shah
Apr 22, 2015 04:16pm
Well done. This channel in banned in many Muslim countries as well like Egypt for false news and propaganda
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Rohan Hyatt
Apr 22, 2015 04:26pm
Where's the freedom of the media?
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Rohan Hyatt
Apr 22, 2015 04:27pm
I see no problem with Al Jazeera's actions. Especially since most of Kashmir wishes to separate from India.
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Sunil
Apr 22, 2015 04:38pm
@usman Two parts of Kashmir is with Pakistan and China. Read the UN charter properly, it states Pakistan to vacate first, which it does not want to do.
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bajwa
Apr 22, 2015 04:38pm
Welcome to freedom of speech in world biggest democracy.
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Sonny Afridi
Apr 22, 2015 04:49pm
So just because a news network shows correct maps the indians get their feeling hurt. Then again the indians closely monitor the Internet activity of regular Kashmiris. Kashmiris have been arrested for supporting Pakistan online, waving Pakistan flags in person. India is insecure on the subject because they lack moral authority.
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Diwakar Dubey
Apr 22, 2015 05:13pm
@Saqib You seems to be a good comedian.
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Kazim Reza
Apr 22, 2015 05:17pm
India can vanish the sun just putting a thumb before its one eyed vision!it is so powerful!
Recommend 0
Ghaznavi
Apr 22, 2015 05:20pm
India should also protest on the map at United Nations where Kashmir is shown as disputed region but there this country is aiming for a permanent seat
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M. Siddique
Apr 22, 2015 05:23pm
How long India will stick its head in sand. It must recognize the fact Kashmir is NOT part of India. Kashmir is a DISPUTED territory.It does not take a rocket scientist to understand it.
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M. Siddique
Apr 22, 2015 05:25pm
@Padmakar, the largest democracy is scared of free speech though. Remember Kashmir is NOT part of India.
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Up wala
Apr 22, 2015 05:26pm
I can say that 99% of Indian people(Including Kashmiris) does not even know the name of this channel..people will laugh at name of this channel
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Sanjay
Apr 22, 2015 05:37pm
@Sahil these actions goes to show the real inside story of a so called 'thriving ' nation, same ban on that BBC documentary. And how many people in India can actually afford a TV anyways ?
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Sanjay
Apr 22, 2015 05:41pm
@Up wala But 99.98% of India does know that the banned BBC DOCUMENTARY did show the truth of women treatment and the respect afforded to them by the Indian males
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NoFame
Apr 22, 2015 05:58pm
Not a mature step tho - they should have wrote/broadcast against that issue but stopping channel broadcast isnt good on the viewers side. they paid for what they were getting and they only paid because that was allowed in their country ... now taking something away from the users without asking their choice !! really bad ...
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OZ
Apr 22, 2015 06:07pm
@Sunil ,Al-Jazeera is banned in many countries, such as Algeria, Israel, China, Egypt, Iraq, Palestine, Syria, US and now India bans it. If all of this is correct then Al-Jazeera must be doing something right. Truth hurts.
Recommend 0
ubermeow
Apr 22, 2015 06:43pm
@Guru I agree that even I watch this channel because it does have a great lineup of programs, but....it is still bound by the laws of the land in which it operates. I am surprised how many a times, false representation of the Indian map gets through and now even in schools kids when asked in geography classes, often produce a wrong map of india from the internet. See, legally if you are caught with the wrong map of india, your material can be confiscated and legal action can be taken against you. I have first hand experience of this since I have worked in an MNC where brochures and other printed material were procured from the head office and it got stuck in the customs, because of this very reason. Same has happened with Al Jazeera here, so there's no way that they can be defended by anybody. They have fallen because of a legal technicality and that's that. I wonder why their bureau chief mad, knowing fully well that he has been caught with the pants down.
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Leo
Apr 22, 2015 06:56pm
To all you folks talking about Indian intolerance.....look inward first and explain why youtube is banned in Pakistan.
Recommend 0
Pakistan First
Apr 22, 2015 07:07pm
Doesn't matter, Truth always prevails.
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Taimoor Khan
Apr 22, 2015 07:07pm
“Eventually India might realise how idiotic this looks,” That sums it up.
Recommend 0
JUSTICE
Apr 22, 2015 07:27pm
Disputed territory issues will be settle unless India recognize pending UN resolutions.
Recommend 0
Rahul
Apr 22, 2015 07:34pm
@M. Siddique what dispute is a dispute that's one sided?
Recommend 0
BEWARE: KING TROLL TROLLS THE EARTH
Apr 22, 2015 07:37pm
India position is clear, accept them or don't come.
Recommend 0
BEWARE: KING TROLL TROLLS THE EARTH
Apr 22, 2015 07:37pm
@riyaz ahmad Now watch another channel whole heartedly...
Recommend 0
Rahul
Apr 22, 2015 07:38pm
@Ghaznavi thanks for the concern, we will change the incorrect stuff at UN soon.
Recommend 0
KDP
Apr 22, 2015 07:39pm
@Talking Point : Well said!
Recommend 0
Dabangg
Apr 22, 2015 07:42pm
@Paladin Whether people are watching is not the point. Wrong information should not be broadcast.
Recommend 0
Ridwan
Apr 22, 2015 07:56pm
It's ridiculous that India has a law against portraying ground realities in kashmir. Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh are international disputes. It is a fact. If they drew a map with an independent Assam or Khalistan, then perhaps the Indian wouldn't look so ridiculous. No country other than india accepts India's inaccurate maps.
Recommend 0
Indian Mumbai
Apr 22, 2015 07:58pm
I have never seen this channel mistakenly even while swapping . Not even once, though heard of it.
Recommend 0
amin
Apr 22, 2015 08:04pm
@Sanjay Guha Yea does not have viewership in India but in kashmir it is watched.
Recommend 0
Sanjoy Sankar Guha
Apr 22, 2015 08:05pm
@Suresh A lot of people I know watch Al Jazeera in India.
Recommend 0
Confused
Apr 22, 2015 08:10pm
This is the greatest publicity Al Jazeera could have ever gotten
Recommend 0
Dinesh
Apr 22, 2015 08:25pm
@Up wala you are not familiar with this news channel? Surprising me..most of people in India who like to watch world news see Al-Jazeera..
Recommend 0
Raj
Apr 22, 2015 08:44pm
@Talking Point Well said
Recommend 0
SR
Apr 22, 2015 08:58pm
India is implementing its law. Why is it bothering Pakistan?
Recommend 0
focused
Apr 22, 2015 09:12pm
@Up wala absolutely correct.
Recommend 0
raj
Apr 22, 2015 09:29pm
LoL a mediocre channel with nearly zero viewership. No one cares or knew about its existence till the ban came about.
Recommend 0
inqelab zindabad
Apr 22, 2015 09:33pm
@Saqib Very happy to learn that.
Recommend 0
SK
Apr 22, 2015 09:38pm
AJ is a mouth piece of Qatar Govt. Nothing worth watching on it. Its best serving by NOT broadcasting.
Recommend 0
Bharat Kumar Jaiswal
Apr 22, 2015 10:01pm
Riyad based news channel... Always favour some group of people belong to certain ethnic and religion.
Recommend 0
Bharat
Apr 22, 2015 10:03pm
Our country. Our rules. Don't like them, don't come here for business. Simple ! Respect the rules when you are here.
Recommend 0
ShahrukhKhan
Apr 22, 2015 10:27pm
@Taimoor Khan yeah right, that sums it up to zero...good step by Indian government.
Recommend 0
LALIT TURAN
Apr 22, 2015 10:29pm
This channel has viewers in India like me. 'll miss u
Recommend 0
Kams
Apr 22, 2015 10:29pm
Welcome to the largest democracy of the world!
Recommend 0
Up wala
Apr 22, 2015 10:31pm
@Dinesh Ya I didn't see,There are many channels for world news..Like bbc,cnn and many others and whatever..Aljajeera channel is not even having 1% viewership
Recommend 0
Mustafa
Apr 22, 2015 10:47pm
@Suresh; "Does anyone even watch this channel in India?" Not anymore.
Recommend 0
Mustafa
Apr 22, 2015 10:49pm
It takes a while for democratic attitude to set in after you start following democratic procedures.
Recommend 0
Mustafa
Apr 22, 2015 10:51pm
@Jay Patel; "Media need to adhere country's law." But you claim your media is free!.
Recommend 0
Mustafa
Apr 22, 2015 11:56pm
@jakoji "Good.. no false propaganda should be allowed" When government decides the "truth", the civilized world calls it censorship.
Recommend 0
Mustafa
Apr 23, 2015 12:00am
@Sanjay Guha; "I doubt this channel has any viewership in India." That is even worse that you don't tolerate even obscure opinion that don't fit in your narrative.
Recommend 0
ahsaan
Apr 23, 2015 01:33am
its simple, no tolerance toward its stand on Kashmir, making their stand firm and clear. AK..
Recommend 0
brmurr
Apr 23, 2015 03:31am
@jakoji Yeah, only true propaganda is allowed!
Recommend 0
brmurr
Apr 23, 2015 03:47am
@Sunil They're not banned in the US, but they may as well be because nobody watches them.
Recommend 0
Madd
Apr 23, 2015 05:36am
I have never ever seen this channel on my cable before lol
Recommend 0
HelloWorld
Apr 23, 2015 07:51am
Fully to see some comments talking about this ban whole YouTube is banned in their own country.
Recommend 0
harmony
Apr 23, 2015 09:00am
@Ghaznavi Ind&Kashmir is keeping us backward,India has got an effective strategic asset in the form of kashmiris ,they know Pakistan will never attack Kashmir with Nbomb as long as kashmiris are there as we love kashmiris more than anything in the world,hence the million soldiers are also safe in Kashmir,just like we will never give up our strategic assets likewise India will never give up Kashmir&kashmiris its strategic asset also as long as kashmir problem is not solved all our strategies , investments and mind share will be India hence putting all our money in defence thereby not developing education,human resources,industry,agriculture which are infact the back bone of any country which is militarily strong thus pakistan will always be backward , which india wants and thus keeping kashmir solves and india's problems vis a vis pakistan ,pakistan pleading with UN for plebiscite will never materialize as the world is against Pakistan and its growth as a well balanced regional power.
Recommend 0
Csk
Apr 23, 2015 11:36am
In the name of democracy and minority appeasement congress govt gave blind eye to anti nationalism. India as a country has to take a strong stand against anyone who dents it's national pride. Al Jazeera if viewed in India, appeals only to a very selective audience. A strong message has to be passed to all foreign media operating in India to respect the country's territorial integrity!
Recommend 0
Sanjay Guha
Apr 23, 2015 04:55pm
@rehan Anyone who breaks the law of the land is penalised in India. Misrepresenting our country's map is an offence. Al Jazeera got what it asked for
Recommend 0
Sanjay Guha
Apr 23, 2015 05:00pm
@zak As though rest of the world agrees with Pakistan
Recommend 0
Sanjay Guha
Apr 23, 2015 05:09pm
@M. Siddique Only a small number of people (the entire Pakistani population and a few thousand people in Kashmir) are saying that. There are 1.2 billion people who believe Kashmir belongs to them. It will be political suicide for any politician who agrees to cede an inch of the country's territory
Recommend 0
Sanjay Guha
Apr 23, 2015 05:16pm
@Mustafa India has strong laws regarding misrepresentation of facts by foreign entities. Long ago when Microsoft had made some errors in representing Indian territory in one of its software products the Indian government blocked the product and allowed it to be marketed in India only after corrections.
Recommend 0
Manoj
Apr 23, 2015 10:20pm
Shd be banned permenently in India........
Recommend 0
Ashok
Apr 24, 2015 08:53am
Be very clear on the violation- the territory of Pakistan occupied Kashmir was shown within Pakistan. India objected to this and Al- Jazeera immediately corrected the anamoly by changing it to a disputed territory. So it is not what you think. I wish Dawn publishes news with factual information instead of selective reporting.
Recommend 0
Pooja Desai
Apr 24, 2015 12:44pm
@faisal You mean to say Pakistan, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Iran.......Just curious
Recommend 0

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