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Pakistan Television has intensified its anti-India propaganda in the wake of the failed Agra summit, highlighting the 'destruction' of Muslim places of worship by the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.
Pictures of damaged mosques and shrines, particularly those which had witnessed clashes between the security forces and the militants in recent days, have been the staple on the state-run PTV. The pictures are being projected as part of an 'ethnic cleansing' campaign in the state.
But not many people in the state appear to have been convinced by PTV's propaganda under its special programme Kashmir File, shown after the Urdu news Khabarnama.
"Everyone in Kashmir knows how the battles start in and around the mosques," said Javed Ahmad, an unemployed youth, who said he had been approached by militant outfits.
"It is meant to mislead those sections of the Muslim population in Kashmir that are not direct witnesses to the incidents," he added.
Thursday's episode of Kashmir File focused exclusively on damaged shrines, including the Hazratbal mosque and Charar-e-Sharief -- occupied by militants in 1993 and 1995 respectively.
Analysts feel PTV's attempt is a calculated move to inflame public opinion in Jammu and Kashmir.
"The images of Hazratbal and Charar-e-Sharief are imprinted on the minds of all Kashmiri Muslims and by showing them, Pakistan is making crude attempts to raise the religious passions," said a newspaper columnist who did not wish to be identified.
The people of Jammu and Kashmir are unhappy with the way their shrines are being used by the militants, which invariably draws retaliation by the security forces.
Indo-Asian News Service
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