Omar Abdullah announces revival of Srinagar Press Club, mum on location

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday announced that the Srinagar Press Club will be revived and efforts made to politicise it shall be defeated.

Taking to social media on Friday evening, he said, “An independent Press Club led by journalists themselves will be a big step for press freedom!”

Omar, however, did not mention whether the Kashmir Press Club (KPC) at Polo Ground that was closed in 2022 would be handed back to journalists, or an alternative space would be provided to the media. Currently, a police station is functioning from the KPC premises.

In 2022, the LG administration had closed down KPC, a move that was opposed by major press bodies across the country.

On March 19, opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peoples Conference (JKPC) had voiced concerns over the police takeover of KPC. PDP legislator Waheed Rehman Parra had said in the Assembly that after the abrogation of Article 370, media was the biggest casualty in Kashmir, and that the Kashmir Press Club needed to be restored to journalists. Converting KPS into a police station was an attempt to muzzle the press and shoot the messenger, he said.

Earlier on March 7, CM Omar had said his govt was committed to reopening the Press Club. He told the Assembly that he will take concrete steps to revive and support the Press Club in Jammu and Srinagar.