Jammu Kashmir TV (JKTV) is the voice of the voiceless. It is a dream and an aspiration of a subjugated people to be heard.
We defend freedom of speech and freedom for the press, but reject obscurantism. We oppose Communalism, Sectarianism and Racism in Kashmir and South Asia, and support a world in which all people are treated equally. We see the peoples of India and Pakistan as our friends and we will provide a platform for progressive South Asian voices, as well as those from across the world.
Our right to freedom is bound in accepting the same right to freedom of all others.
India's formal annexation of the area of Jammu and Kashmir on 5th August 2019, has outraged the Kashmiri people imprisoned under its control, it has also reinvigorated a united movement across the areas controlled by Pakistan. All demand the unconditional right of self-determination, including independence, for a unified Kashmir. This unity does not imply any dilution of the diversity of the state’s different names, regions, religions, cultures or languages
Freedom of Belief and Unity of Purpose
Kashmir has a population of approx. 20 million. 3 million Kashmiris live in the diaspora, one million of whom are in the in UK.
Kashmir has a landmass of 85,000 square miles. In 1947 the state was invaded and occupied by India and Pakistan. The two countries have fought three wars over Kashmir and now have nuclear weapons Although Kashmir has often been in the news, it has no independent media. Indo-Pak media promote the Indian and Pakistani political narratives. Whilst there are newspapers and TV stations in Kashmir, these exist only under Indian and Pakistani monitoring. Independent Kashmiri journalists who challenge the dominant narratives of India and Pakistan have faced a history of repression.
JKTV is the only platform that gives a voice to the state's diverse religious and ethnic make-up. We will promote dialogue among people across the state, irrespective of whether they hold pro-Indian, pro-Pakistani or independence positions. JKTV calls for unity, without compulsion, across all of the state’s religious and ethnic communities.
Kashmiri Diaspora
Millions of Kashmiris live, study and work in India, Pakistan, the UAE, America and in particular in the UK. JKTV will provide a platform for the diaspora to discuss issues related to their lives wherever they may live, as well as encourage people to support the struggle for the right of self-determination for Kashmir.
Beyond the wire
JKTV recognises we live in a highly globalised world, one in which many peoples are suffering injustices in different shapes and forms. We will, to the best of our ability build links and solidarity with others demanding justice, especially those who like us, live under occupation and face ethnic cleansing.
In struggling to give a voice to the voiceless of Kashmir, JKTV recognises that the grossly unfair post-colonial state structures and policies in South Asia, are the root cause of misery for billions of people. We will therefore actively seek to promote the idea that the peoples of South Asia can build a new union based on freedom for all.
Independence Media
Prior to 5th August 2019, JKTV's reach was around 300-400K per month, however, in less than a month we reached 33 million views and 21M engagements following the revocation of article 370. In one month JKTV's Facebook Likes went from 90K to 250K and our followers increased from 100K to 390K. JKTV has become a hub for dialogue for millions of progressive Kashmiris, Indians and Pakistanis across the globe.
JKTV Live was initiated in 2015, as an experiment to see if social media, especially Facebook, could be used for Kashmiri voices to be heard. JKTV is an independent media organisation. Although we promote self-determination for the Kashmiri people, including independence, we are not aligned to any particular political party. We provide news and commentary on the current situation in Kashmir. We include
Kashmiri voices as well as those from India, Pakistan and Asia. We also have a broad international outlook that takes in views from across the world.
Whilst JKTV has a clear current affairs identity with a political focus we also give significant time to entertainment. Here too our focus is on the talent from all regions of the Kashmiri State.
We have a dedicated team of reporters and presenters in the UK, from both sides of Kashmir and among the Kashmiri diaspora. We work with minimum resources, which in the main consist of our own smart mobile telephones and computers. With support from progressive individuals and organisations we hope to consolidate our work. We are determined to develop JKTV so that it has its own dedicated server that can transmit our programs across not only Facebook, but all other social media platforms as well.
