The Union Government’s directive to the state to halt the transmission of 34 TV channels from Muslim countries including Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia in Kashmir Valley has put the cable operators here in a ‘catch 22 situation’ as according to the operators they can neither defy the ban order nor can they afford to stop providing these channels which are highly popular among people in the Kashmir Valley.

Taking to Kashmir Observer, members of the Cable Operators Association said they have decided to defy the order as their business depends mostly on these channels.

When asked about the consequences they will face in case of defiance, they said let authorities seize their equipment and close down their business but they will not stop providing these channels on their own as it will in any case hit their business.