PCI’s scrutiny needed
It has happened for the first time post 1947 that Poonch city was targeted directly in the ongoing India-Pakistan confrontation. The locals in Poonch told this author that even in 1965, 1971 and Kargil war of 1999, the Poonch town remained safe, and civilians were never targeted. But this time when India and Pakistan were on the warpath post Pahalgam killings, dozens of artillery and mortar shells from the Pakistan side fell in the city during the intervening night of 6th and 7th May 2025 killing 12 people. At least 60 people were injured, some of them seriously. Houses, shops, schools have been severely damaged in Poonch. During this heavy shelling from the Pakistani Army, many children, old and young people from Hindu, Muslim and Sikh communities died in Poonch. The dead included Qari Mohammad Iqbal, a teacher in a local Islamic seminary Zia ul Uloom.
Branded as terrorist ?
Qari Iqbal hailed from remote Baila village in Mandi tehsil of Poonch. He had been teaching at Zia ul Uloom Poonch for almost 20 years. With an aim of getting more Target Rating Points -TRP , some private tv news channels exhibited ultra nationalism and this time they went so low that around 4 channels declared Qari Mohammad Iqbal as “LeT terrorist” killed during Operation Sindoor in Kotli Muzaffarabad across LoC? In fact the panelists who were sitting in the studio also agreed with these TV anchors and it seemed as if they had been doing detailed research on Qari Iqbal ?
While talking to local news reporters in Poonch, Qari Iqbal’s brother Farooq Ahmad said, “On May 7, my elder brother Iqbal was killed in Pakistani shelling while he was in a madrassa in Poonch. The godi media ran fake news, terming my brother as a Pakistani terrorist, and hurt our sentiments. We were already hurt [after Iqbal’s death] but this wounded us further. We criticise this and urge the SSP Poonch and LG to take action against these media outlets.”
Police refutes media claims
As Kashmir based social media handles and locals of Poonch spoke and respected citizens started speaking about this issue, the J&K Police through District Police Office Poonch on May 8th came up with a statement refuting the claims of the news channels. The press release carried by several newspapers including Greater Kashmir reads:
“Such misreporting not only spreads unnecessary panic but also deeply hurts the sentiments of the grieving family and tarnishes the image of an innocent civilian. The police have further warned that strict legal action will be taken against any media outlet, journalist, or individual found propagating fake news in violation of laws governing public order and national security. All media personnel and platforms are advised to verify facts from official sources before publishing any information related to security matters”
“Maulana Iqbal, 46, son of Peer Baksh and a resident of Village Baila in Tehsil Mandi, lost his life during cross-border shelling by Pakistan while he was at Madrasa Zia-ul-Uloom in Poonch city. Contrary to some speculative reports, police have confirmed that the deceased had no links to any terror organization” reads the Police statement carried in some local English newspapers
What the News-Channels said ?
The were many news channels that circulated fake news about Qari Iqbal. One anchor sought details of Qari Iqbal from a panelist who called Qari Iqbal “Motivator and Radicaliser”. The ill informed panelist who calls himself Defence Expert is so poorly informed that he doesn’t even know that Qari Iqbal died in Pakistani shelling in Poonch town? Another debate in another channel projected Qari as a dreaded terrorist killed in operation Sindoor at Kotli Pok? Yet another channel labelled Qari Iqbal as LeT terrorist involved in major terror attacks, including Pulwama attack of 2019?
The Govt of India as well as the J & K Govt had warned that no fake news be circulated through social media or other platforms. Are these news channels not liable to be prosecuted?
PCI & Electronic Media
For unknown reasons, successive Governments at the centre have rejected the demand for bringing electronic media under the ambit of Press Council of India-PCI. The PCI should oversee the working of not only the newspapers but digital media as well including television, radio and social media. For information of readers the Press Council of India (PCI) is a statutory body created by the Press Council Act of 1978. It is the apex body for the regulation of the Print Media in India. It enjoys independence from government. PCI has a Chairman and 28 members. The composition of 28 members in PCI include 2 Rajya Sabha Members, 3 Lok Sabha Members, 7 Working Journalists (other than editors of newspapers, 6 Editors of Newspapers, 3 people with specialized knowledge on public life, 1 person who manages news agencies, 6 persons in the business of managing newspapers.
Conclusion
For the TV reporters who are only after TRP and viewership, a Muslim with a beard and black karakul cap on his head is the only thing that is needed to brand him as a terrorist ? These TV anchors sitting in cozy AC studios are unaware of the sufferings of people on the LoC or International Border-IB. They get sadistic pleasure branding a man like Qari Mohammad Iqbal a terrorist. This is the right time these TV channels are brought under scrutiny and PCIs role should be extended by making necessary amendments in the PCI Act 1978. This incident should serve as a reminder to the authorities at helm to make sure there is proper fact-checking and verification processes, particularity during war.
Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat is an Acumen Fellow. He is Chairman & Founder of Jammu & Kashmir Right to Information Movement
