Mehbooba aide says no ban on Kashmir press

Srinagar, July 18 (IANS) Amitabh Mattoo, a top aide of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, on Monday denied that the government had imposed any ban on the media in Kashmir, saying "heads will roll" after it is clear on who took the decision.

"There has been no ban on the media (in Kashmir)," Mattoo, the political advisor to the chief minister, said here.

The denial came two days after editors and newspapers owners of Srinagar-based dailies were told by a government spokesman and minister on Saturday evening that they should stop publication in view of the strict curfew in the valley.

As a result of the crackdown, Srinagar-based newspapers couldn't hit the stands since Saturday when copies of those already printed were seized at midnight and early morning raids by police on their printing presses.

Mattoo said that "heads will roll" after it is known "whoever locally took decision to ban newspapers in Kashmira.

The chief minister's aide is believed to have called newspaper editors on Monday evening telling them to go ahead with their publication. However, due to operational reasons, the publishers said that it won't be possible for them to print newspapers for Tuesday morning.