Is Pakistan wary of satellite images of strife-torn Kashmir which may be sensitive from military reasons?
High-resolution satellite images of Kashmir, hit hard by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake on 08 October, have begun to reappear on public websites, much to the relief of aid workers.The pictures were removed last week from all public-access websites belonging to the United Nations (UN) and its relief partners, including the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters.
Tasnim Aslam, a spokeswoman for Pakistan’s foreign ministry, told Associated Press in Islamabad that “No one in the Pakistan government has made a request that such maps be removed.” Nature’s sources emphasize that the UN decision was a precaution against a deterioration in relations with Pakistan.After pressure from relief groups seeking wider access to the images, the UN met again on 17 October, and reversed its decision”.
Read More: Nature
