ISLAMABAD – The residents of Pulwama district including businessmen, lawyers and students are suffering immensely due to continued suspension of the mobile internet service by the authorities.
According to Kashmir Media Service (KMS), the occupation authorities had suspended the mobile internet service in the district on December 15, 2018, following the killing of eleven people by Indian troops during a cordon and search operation and by opening indiscriminate fire on peaceful protesters in Sirnoo area of the district.
The President of Pulwama Traders Federation, Nisar Ahmed Wani, in an interview, said they suffered huge losses due to the long internet blockade in the area. “Neither could we make online transactions nor we were able to keep ourselves updated about the rates of different commodities in other places,” he said.
Sheikh Shahnawaz Ahmad, a young lawyer at district court Pulwama, said that they were could not send or receive documents in absence of internet. He said that their clients had to personally visit courts to bring the small documents which otherwise they could have easily sent through email. He said that they were also unable to access the legal websites and journals.
Students have complained that their studies are being hit badly due to the non-availability of the internet. “I was unable to access online content and for past 10 days I hardly could prepare for general studies,” said Waseem Parvez Dar, a civil service aspirant.
Many unemployed youth said that they could not send across their job applications to various companies due to the continued suspension of the internet service.
