Lockdown enters 42th day in Occupied Kashmir

SRINAGAR (92 News) – Normal life continued to remain paralysed as the unprecedented lockdown entered its 42th day, on Sunday, in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK) with schools, markets and other business establishments closed and public transport off the roads. Communication links including mobile and internet services and TV channels are snapped in the entire Kashmir valley and areas of Jammu region since 5th of August, the day India scrapped Kashmir’s special status. The Kashmir valley remains under strict military siege as hundreds of thousands of Indian troops deployed in every nook and corner continue to keep millions of people confined to their homes. Normal life is crippled with educational institutions, shops, markets and business establishments remaining closed and public transport off the roads. Communication services like mobile, internet and TV channels are snapped in the entire Kashmir valley and in some parts of Jammu region. The telecom sector of the territory has suffered a loss of more than 900 million rupees in last one month. An official of a telecom company told media that it would become difficult for the operators to continue their services if the Indian government did not lift the restrictions on mobile services and data in occupied Kashmir. Meanwhile, global human rights watchdog, Amnesty International in a video posted on Twitter demanding an end to continued lockdown in occupied Kashmir urged India to let the people of the territory speak. In the video, the Amnesty International exposed gruesome crimes being committed by Indian forces’ personnel against the people of occupied Kashmir. In a statement, US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib strongly condemned the Indian government for revoking Articles 370 and 35-A and imposing communication blackout in occupied Kashmir. The court also issued non-bailable warrants against Hurriyat leaders Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi, Mohammad Rafiq, Javed Ahmed Mir, Meraj-ud-Din and others. National Conference leader and Member of Indian Parliament, Akbar Lone, in an interview appreciated the role of Pakistan in highlighting the Kashmir issue internationally and putting pressure on India.