South Asia Human Rights Journalist Association

Srinagar, 31 Jul 2018 : Bureau chief of Washington Post for India, Annie Gowan on Tuesday said that she was not granted a special permit to report in Kashmir by Indian ministry of external affairs  despite her applying for the same on June 22 and called the delay unacceptable.  Following a ministry of external affairs of India directive foreign  journalists are required to acquire a special permit to report  Kashmir.
Gowan said that she was not granted the permit despite her applying for the same on June 22. Though Gowan is in Kashmir, she however, is not in the valley for reporting but attending a marriage party of her friend
Taking to her twitter handle Gowan wrote, “. I am in Kashmir for a day to attend a friend’s wedding. I am not reporting here because @MEAIndia and @HMOIndia have not granted the special permit now required for foreign correspondents. I applied June 22. Unacceptable delay. @rcfp @CJR @hrw @RSF_en,”.On July 21  the Indian government  issued an advisory for foreign correspondents working in India, asking them not to visit Jammu and Kashmir without prior permission.
According to the reports the advisory issued by the Ministry of External Affairs was to remind the foreign journalists of a “dormant rule” that prohibits them from traveling to certain areas, including parts of Jammu and Kashmir, without permission of the government 
, a move reminiscent of the early 1990s when the Indian government made it impossible for foreign journalists to report from the valley.sources agencies