Srinagar (PTI): All national TV news channels in Kashmir on Thursday went off the air following the expiry of a deadline given by cable operators to the state administration to review ban on news-related items on local channels.

"All national news channels went off air as the deadline expired. Either all channels should be free to air news and current affairs programmes or nobody will," sources in the cable Industry said here.

However, none of the cable operators was willing to make a comment on record. Only state-run Doordarshan is being aired in the valley at the moment.

The state administration on Sunday asked all local TV channels to stop with immediate effect the telecasting of all news and current affairs programmes.

"District Magistrate Srinagar issued orders to stop with immediate effect the telecasting of all news and other items which are inflammatory in nature and thereby disturbing the peace and tranquillity of general public," an official spokesman said.

However, the channels have been allowed to run the usual entertainment programmes, he said.