After seventy-two days of communication blackout, authorities on Monday afternoon resumed post-paid mobile services in Kashmir Valley, however prepaid and internet services are yet to restore except few tourist destinations where internet kiosks have been set up to facilitate the visit of tourists in Kashmir.
It is pertinent to mention here that authorities on August 4, 2019 snapped all communication services in entire Jammu and Kashmir to thwart any misadventure by militants, separatists and their activists ahead of scraping Article 370 and 35A which granted special privilege to Jammu and Kashmir in the entire country. Meanwhile Rohit Kansal, spokesperson of Government of Jammu and Kashmir had on Saturday said that by Monday afternoon, post-paid mobile services would be restored in Kashmir Valley. He had said that the situation is limping back to normalcy and claimed ninety-nine percent of the Valley is without having curbs and restrictions. However Kansal didn’t mention when internet services are going to be resumed in Kashmir?
However, the resumption of post-paid mobile services in Kashmir Valley is largely seen as a good gesture by people while restoring normalcy in the region. The two and a half month communication blackout had affected largely all sections of people who appealed authorities several times to make it functional for the larger benefit of society. However government sources said that out of seventy lakh mobile phones, forty lakh mobiles have been made functional.
Sources said that though traders and businessmen suffered millions of losses during the blackout period, students who were aspiring to take part in various national and international levels competitive examinations were also unhappy by the government’s blackout move. It said the clampdown of communication services in Kashmir Valley also impacts awful affect over the student’s carriers who were unable to get online material and references since New Delhi repealed special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019.
Even as at least 40 lakh postpaid phones started ringing across Kashmir on Monday afternoon, normal life remains to be affected on the 71st straight day with cry for restoration of internet and pre-paid mobile phone services getting louder.
The people of Kashmir continue to witness the ongoing communication gag excluding postpaid and landline telephony and mobile internet services, broadband internet services including the lease line and VSAT as well causing great inconveniences to the people of all walks of the valley. The valley based schools also remain closed due to absence of public transport which compelled most of the students to stay away from their schools despite the concerned authorities announced the reopening of educational institutions including the colleges and universities.
Connectivity was snapped exactly a week before Eid, celebrated on August 12. And so great was the relief on Monday that many Kashmiris wished each other Eid Mubarak.
“This day is no less than Eid for us. In a global era of the world becoming one, transcending borders, we were cut off from the rest of the world for more than two months,” said a celphone subscriber.
Basharat Ahmad, a resident of the old city, lost no time in calling his friends and relatives within Kashmir and outside to just hear their voices after the long gap. In just an hour, he made 30 calls.
“I had not spoken to my relatives in Delhi and elsewhere outside Kashmir for 70 days. I want to hear from all of them and want to tell them we are still alive,” Ahmad said.
It was a tough 72 days even for those whose loved ones stayed close by.
Yasir Ahad said he was talking to his fiancee when the lines snapped abruptly.
“I was not able to contact my fiancee who lives just five kilometres from my place. We got engaged in July this year and two weeks later we had no information about each other’s well being,” Ahad said.
Ahad, who plans to get married next spring, said he would talk to his fiancee every day till the sudden communication blockade came into force in the early hours of August 5.
“I was talking to her when the signal went off. Initially, I thought there was something wrong with my phone but soon realised that the rumours ahead of August 5 were not unfounded,” he added.
Security forces are fully geared to meet any challenge arising out of the opening of mobile communications, officials said.
The restoration of post-paid mobile phones of all services tops a number of steps taken in recent weeks to remove restrictions in the Valley.
Last week, the state was opened to tourists. Educational institutions are also open, but attendance has been slim.
On August 17, partial fixed line telephony was resumed in the Valley. On September 4, nearly 50,000 landlines were declared operational.
The announcement that the services would be restored was made by Jammu and Kashmir Principal Secretary and spokesperson Rohit Kansal at a nationally televised press conference here on Saturday.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik had earlier said mobile phones were being used by terrorists to spread a hate campaign in the state.
Lack of mobile phone connectivity caused immense hardship to the people and the announcement of its restoration is the most significant step towards ending the communication blockade.
“With this step, tourists will be able to visit the state without being handicapped by the lack of phone connectivity, students can be in touch with parents while attending school, businessmen can be in touch with customers, transporters can contact clients and contractors can be in touch with staff,” Kansal said on Saturday.
In Jammu, communication was restored within days of the blockade and mobile internet was started around mid-August. However, after its misuse, internet facility on cell phones was snapped on August 18.
Mobile communication in the Valley was shut down to prevent externally aided terrorists from disturbing peace and inflicting casualties, officials said.
“There are sustained attempts from across the border, both in the past and more so in the last two months, to promote militancy and terrorism in the state in order to create a sense of fear and terror among the people and keep the place in a disturbed condition,” a senior official said.
