I&B Ministry issues advisory to media channels to refrain from showing live coverage of defence operations-OxBig News Network

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) issued an advisory on Saturday (April 25) for all the media channels (news) to refrain from showing live coverage of defence operations and movement of security forces in the interest of national security. The advisory comes in the wake of reporting on defence matters following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

“In the interest of national security, all media platforms, news agencies, and social media users are advised to exercise utmost responsibility and adhere strictly to existing laws and regulations while reporting on matters concerning defence and other security-related operations,” said the advisory by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

“Specifically: No real-time coverage, dissemination of visuals, or reporting based on ‘sources-based’ information related to defence operations or movement should be undertaken,” it stated.

The advisory also said that premature disclosure of sensitive information may inadvertently assist hostile elements and endanger operational effectiveness and the safety of personnel. The advisory cited past incidents such as the Kargil war, the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008, and the Kandahar hijacking, when “unrestricted coverage had unintended adverse consequences on national interests”.

Agencies issue list of 14 local terrorists in J-K

In a significant development amid heightened security concerns following the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, intelligence agencies have compiled a list of 14 local terrorists actively operating in the Union Territory. According to sources, these individuals, aged between 20 to 40 years, are actively aiding foreign terrorists from Pakistan by providing logistical and ground-level support. The identified operatives are reportedly affiliated with three major Pakistan-backed terror outfits: Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Among them, three are associated with Hizbul Mujahideen, eight with LeT, and three with JeM.

Sources revealed the names of these individuals as-

1. Adil Rehman Dentoo (21)
2. Asif Ahmed Sheikh (28)
3. Ahsan Ahmed Sheikh (23)
4. Haris Nazir (20)
5. Aamir Nazir Wani (20)
6. Yawar Ahmed Bhat
7. Asif Ahmed Khanday (24)
8. Naseer Ahmed Wani (21)
9. Shahid Ahmed Kutay (27)
10. Aamir Ahmed Dar
11. Adnan Safi Dar
12. Zubair Ahmed Wani (39)
13. Haroon Rashid Ganai (32)
14. Zakir Ahmed Ganie (29)

Dentoo joined LeT in 2021 and is actively working as the Sopore district commander of the banned outfit. Asif Ahmed Sheikh, a terrorist of JeM, is the district commander of Awantipora and has been continuously involved in terrorist activities since 2022. Ahsan Ahmed Sheikh is active in Pulwama as an LeT terrorist and has been involved in terrorist activities continuously since 2023. 

Haris Nazir is a terrorist from Pulwama and active in LeT since 2023 while Aamir Nazir Wani is also an active terrorist in Pulwama linked to JeM since 2024. Yawar Ahmed Bhat is also completely active in Pulwama and is associated with JeM since 2024.Asif Ahmed Khanday is terrorist from Shopian district in Jammu and Kashmir and he joined Hizbul Mujahideen in July 2015, and is currently an active member of the terror group aiding Pakistani terrorists. Naseer Ahmed Wani is also actively involved in terrorist activities in Shopian since 2019 as an active member of LeT significantly aiding Pakistani terrorists.

Shahid Ahmed Kutay, another active terrorist in Shopian, is linked with LeT and its proxy group The Resistance Front (TRF) since 2023. Aamir Ahmed Dar, also active in Shopian since 2023, is working with LeT and play a major role as an aide to foreign terrorists. Adnan Safi Dar, who is another active terrorist from Shopian district, is working jointly for LeT and TRF since 2024, and acts as a conduit for information from Pakistani handlers to terrorists.

Zubair Ahmed Wani alias Abu Ubaida alias Usman, is the Chief Operational Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. He is categorised as an A+ active terrorist and significantly aids other terrorists and has been implicated multiple times in attacks on security forces since 2018. Haroon Rashid Ganai, an active Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist also from Anantnag, is on the search radar of security forces . He had earlier traveled to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) where he received training during 2018. He reportedly came back to South Kashmir recently. However, Zubair Ahmed Gani, a major terrorist from Kulgam district in Jammu and Kashmir, is associated with LeT and continuously involved in attacks on security forces and targeted killings.

The identification of these local terror aides comes as agencies intensify efforts to dismantle the support networks facilitating cross-border terrorism. The April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 tourists were gunned down by terrorists, including three belongs to Pakistan, has reignited concerns over the growing nexus between foreign terrorists and local recruits. Security forces have launched coordinated operations across South Kashmir, particularly in Anantnag and Pulwama districts, where many of the listed individuals are believed to be operating. Senior officials indicate that these names are part of a larger intelligence dossier being used to pre-empt further attacks and disrupt terror logistics in the Valley.