SRINAGAR – Million of people in the Kashmir valley and Muslim majority areas of Jammu region remain under Indian siege on the 91st day of lockdown and communications gag.
Internet and pre-paid mobile services remained suspended while public transport off the roads, the Kashmir Media Service reported on Sunday.
On August 5, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi abrogated Jammu & Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status and imposed a curfew in the volatile parts of the region. The move was slammed by Pakistan, which urged the United Nations to force India to reverse its Kashmir actions. Malaysia and Turkey are among a number of countries that have condemned the illegal and inhumane actions by the Modi-led India.
Delhi takes direct control of Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir amid killings, protests
Since the abrogation of Article 370, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore. Besides, the lockdown has broken the backbone of IT sector in the Kashmir Valley by rendering as many as 25,000 IT professionals jobless. Around 32 IT companies, which have their units in Srinagar, now bear a deserted look.
Since October 31, day when India officially deprived Jammu and Kashmir of its special status, the valley has witnessed several protests. IOK administration has imposed ban on more than 450 people including businessmen, journalists, lawyers and political activists to travel abroad. The list was prepared in the wake of the revocation of special status and downgrading of J&K into two Union Territories on 5th August.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently joined the list of world leaders who have spoken out against human rights situation in the occupied region, when she took a forthright stand during her trip to India and said that “the Kashmir situation was unsustainable” and added that the “lockdown was not good”.
German Chancellor voices concern over lockdown, HR violations in IOK
