Normal life remains paralyzed for 44th day in Occupied Kashmir

SRINAGAR (KMS) – The curfew and communications blackout across occupied Kashmir entered 44th day, Tuesday amid shops and business establishments remained shut and schools without attendance.

The schools remain open across the Valley but the students fail to turn up as parents are unwilling to send their wards to schools. The attendance in government offices also remained thin.

The mobile telephone services and internet including broadband services continued to remain suspended since August 5.

Due to the ongoing military clampdown, the people of the Kashmir valley are facing acute shortage of basic essentials including food, milk and life-saving drugs. Under the prevailing circumstances, the local newspapers find it difficult to hit the stands, while they couldn’t update their online editions.

Meanwhile, reacting to unprecedented curfew, communications blackout and arrest of Kashmiri leaders including Farooq Abdullah, National Conference in a statement said the territory is under martial law and democratic and constitutional principles have been forsaken.

“Farooq’s arrest has blown to shreds the lies of New Delhi that people have welcomed Article 370 decision… It will have serious consequences,” the NC warned.

Some of the bunkers have been built in Srinagar’s Jahangir Chowk, Iqbal Sabzi Mandi, Bakshi Stadium and SMHS hospital areas causing huge inconvenience to the commuters. Curfew and other restrictions have generated a humanitarian crisis as shortage of daily commodities has hit hard the residents of Kashmir valley and parts of Jammu region. All shops remained shut and public transport was off the roads. Education, too, has taken the worst beating because of the military clampdown.

Meanwhile, Indian authorities further tightened curfew in Kishtwar area of Jammu region to deny funeral prayers of prominent leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, Master Ghulam Nabi Gundana, who died. The authorities had seized the property of the deceased and attached his bank accounts after India imposed ban on Jamaat-e-Islami of Occupied Kashmir, this year.

International human rights watchdog, Human Rights Watch, has urged India to immediately release detained Kashmiris who have not been charged with a recognizable offence. The global human rights organization said that many detainees had not been allowed to contact their families or lawyers. It also asked the Indian government to release a list of all detainees and their whereabouts.

All Parties Hurriyat Conference leaders Bilal Ahmad Siddiqi and Zamrooda Habib, in their separate statements, strongly condemned curfew and communications blockade in the territory. They urged the international community to take action of Indian barbarism in Occupied Kashmir.

The APHC AJK at a meeting in Islamabad, on Tuesday, appealed to the world community to play its role in resolving the Kashmir dispute. Former President of Jamaat-e-Islami Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Member Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rashid Turabi addressing Wahdat Ummah conference at Ankara in Turkey urged Muslim leaders to raise Kashmir and Palestine issues before the United Nations with full force and unity. The event was organized by Centre for Research Islamic Union, a Turkish think-tank.

An Indian paramilitary officer was found dead in his camp in Jammu district. The Indian Central Reserve Police Force officer identified as ASI SK Dass was found dead in the Channi Rama army camp in the district.