The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Sunday directed all District Magistrates to ensure stoppage of the broadcast of around 30 Pakistani TV channels.

A directive issued by the state Home Department said these channels had the potential of inciting violence and creating a law and order problem.

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The directive follows a communication from the Union Government asking the state to stop unauthorised broadcast of Pakistani channels.

The communication, according to sources, said that it had been reported that the cable operators in the Valley have been transmitting certain TV channels, which are not permitted by the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

The state Home Department directive to all the 22 District Magistrates said that the “transmission of non-permitted TV channels apart from attracting the violation (of the law), has the potential to encourage or incite violence and create law and order disturbances in the Kashmir Valley”.

As per Section 11 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, the District Magistrate has the power to seize the equipment in case of a violation.