Newspaper editors in Jammu and Kashmir said on Tuesday that they will not resume publication of papers till the state government comes clean on the media ban and assures free movement of their reporters.

Speaking to Newslaundry, Ghulam Hassan Kaloo, editor of Mirror of Kashmir and president of Jammu and Kashmir Press Association, said, “The government should clarify if at all they had placed a ban. We also need to know that our reporters will be allowed free movement, which is important for news-gathering process. Till that happens, we cannot resume publication.”

“The chief minister said today there is no ban on the media, but the truth is that printing presses were raided on Saturday. Our staff-members were harassed. The atmosphere is also not good. There are restrictions placed on the movement of our staff,” he added.

Editor of Rising Kashmir Shujaat Bukhari added that the call was taken in a meeting of editors from Kashmir on Tuesday. He also said editors reached out to Amitabh Mattoo, advisor to J&K chief minister. “Even today, my colleagues contacted him from the meeting itself, and told him that we are ready to resume the publication. But, please own up to the ban, apologise to the editors, and assure us that none of our journalists would be harmed, and that we would be allowed to move freely. He did not get back to us, and we decided that we cannot resume publications in such a scenario,” Bukhari told Newslaundry.

Earlier today, it was reported that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had told the Centre that there was no ban on the publication of newspapers, despite the fact that no newspapers have been published in the valley for the last three days. On Monday, Mattoo had said there was no ban on media in Kashmir, adding that “heads will roll” once it is clear as to who took the decision.

Reacting to Mattoo’s statement, Bukhari said, “It is ridiculous on their part to trivialise the issue to such an extent, push us to the wall and prove that we had gone on a holiday on our own (accord).”

The Valley witnessed the 12^th day of curfew on Tuesday, after violence spiralled following the killing of commander of Hizbul Mujahideen Burhan Wani. According to reports, 45 people have been killed in the violence so far, in the aftermath of the killing.