IOK situation remains unchanged on 122nd day of military siege

SRINAGAR (KMS) – In Occupied Kashmir, situation continues to remain almost unchanged in the Kashmir Valley and parts of Jammu region on the 122nd day of lockdown and military siege. Having scrapped the Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, the Modi-led Indian government is now planning to further erode Muslim-majority character of the territory by carving out new administrative divisions from the newly-formed union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. In this regard, media reports said that consultations to create new divisions comprising at least three districts from Jammu division and three from Kashmir Valley – all part of or surrounding the Pir Panjal region – were at a very advanced stage and a formal announcement may be made in late December or early next year. The report quoted a senior government functionary as having said that the move would further reduce Kashmir’s influence over the other regions, especially Jammu, since the new division will also change Kashmir’s demographic composition. Meanwhile, normal life remains badly hit in the Kashmir Valley on 122nd day of lockdown and siege, with all shops and business establishments remain closed for most of the day and schools and offices without students and staff. On the other hand, at a time when political activities of even so-called mainstream parties have come to a naught post abrogation of Article 370, BJP has gone into an overdrive to hold organizational polls to enroll members into the party fold through arrest and harassment and other coercive measures.