Al Jazeera among media outlets blocked in Pakistan over Kashmir coverage

Pakistan has restricted or blocked user access to the websites of multiple local, regional and international media outlets, including Al Jazeera English, over their coverage of the ongoing unrest in Kashmir.

Indian media outlet Hindustan Times reported the information in a report on Monday, August 3.

The report said the restrictions have been imposed targeting various digital media outlets for reporting on the ongoing protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the alleged crackdown by security forces.

Many users on social media have claimed that the international news outlet Al Jazeera has also been blocked in Pakistan.

They claimed that Pakistan's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had taken note of the Qatari-based media outlet's "selective" reporting on the PoK protests in a post on X (formerly Twitter). However, the report noted that this claim could not be independently verified.

The report further said digital censorship has been intensified following critical news coverage of the ongoing unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Earlier, protests continued across PoK until Sunday, August 2. Protests were also reported in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and several other parts of the country.

The election for the Constitutional Council of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is being held in phases until August 10. Tension is prevailing in the region over the election. Violence that began in June has so far claimed more than 40 lives, the report said.

Source: Hindustan Times