SRINAGAR: Former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday urged the Jammu and Kashmir government to immediately restore suspended government advertisements to local newspapers, warning that the survival of the region’s print media is at stake.
Suspension of government advertisements vital for both small and leading publications has thrown print journalism into complete disarray across the Valley. Its only further deepened the crisis in the local media ecosystem depriving hundreds of families who rely on it for their…
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) May 22, 2025
“The suspension of government advertisements is not just a financial blow; it’s an assault on the freedom of the press,” Mufti said, calling on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take urgent cognisance of the situation. She described the move as a direct threat to press freedom and democratic accountability in the Union Territory.
Mehbooba said the abrupt discontinuation of government ads—critical to the financial viability of newspapers in the region—has led to the downsizing of staff, a reduction in publication frequency, and in some cases, complete shutdowns.
“Our publications are struggling to survive, and with them, the voices of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said. “Journalists, editors, printers, and support staff are being pushed into financial distress. This cannot be allowed to continue.”
She alleged that more than two dozen newspapers have been denied advertisements without explanation, claiming the media policy lacks transparency and fosters selective ad distribution. “This policy has bred fear and self-censorship,” Mehbooba stated.
Criticising the current media advertisement policy as discriminatory and politically motivated, the PDP chief warned that such measures further weaken the democratic framework of the region. “If we truly value democracy and press freedom, we must support and protect our media, not strangle it,” she added.
The PDP has consistently raised concerns about the growing financial and editorial pressures facing local newspapers, especially since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which many media professionals claim has led to a gradual erosion of independent journalism in Kashmir.
