Postpaid mobile phones to work in Kashmir again from tomorrow

| | Jammu
  • 0

Postpaid mobile phones to work in Kashmir again from tomorrow

Sunday, 13 October 2019 | Mohit Kandhari | Jammu

Come Monday, Kashmir Valley will start buzzing with mobile phone ringtones after over two months.

After lifting  August 2 travel advisory, preventing  tourists from visiting J&K, the State administration on Saturday announced the much awaited decision to restore postpaid mobile phone services from October 14 from 12 pm.

However, internet services will continue to remain suspended in the Valley. To woo tourists, the Government has decided to restore the service at tourist places.

Meanwhile, at least seven persons were injured in a grenade attack by terrorists in a market area near Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Saturday. Three are in critical condition.

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, J&K Government’s spokesperson Rohit Kansal said,  “After reviewing the situation in Jammu & Kashmir, a decision was taken to restore mobile phone facilities in Kashmir.”

Kansal adde, “All the remaining areas of Jammu & Kashmir will now have mobile postpaid services. More specifically, all post-paid mobile phones, irrespective of the telecom service provider, will stand restored and be functional from 12 noon on Monday, 14 October, 2019. This will cover all 10 districts of Kashmir province”.

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmed Khan, Inspector General of Police Kashmir zone,S P Pani, and Director Information and Public Relations, Dr. Syed Sehrish Asgar were present during the press briefing.

Kansal said, “Tourists are welcome to visit the state and they will be facilitated for their visit. Internet facilities are being opened at tourist places to assist tourists wanting to access internet.”

Jammu and Kashmir government had imposed a communication blockade on August 5 when central government abrogated special status and divided the state into two union territories.

He said that with this step, tourists will be able to visit the state without being handicapped by the lack of phone connectivity, students can be in touch with parents while attending schools, businessmen can be in touch with customers, transporters can contact clients, and contractors can be in touch with staff.

Referring to continuous lock down of main market places, Kansal said the Government is urging the businessmen, industrialists, traders, transporters, shopkeepers, hoteliers and contractors not to be frightened by militant threats and separatists and go about their normal activities.

“The government is firm in its resolve that the attempts of these disruptive elements will be foiled. The Government thanks the people of Jammu & Kashmir for being cooperative and helping in maintaining peace and public order,” he said.

Explaining the reasons behind the restrictions imposed in the light of the important constitutional changes that were made in relation to Jammu & Kashmir in August 2019, he said that a number of restrictions were imposed from 4 August 2019 in order to prevent externally aided terrorists from disturbing peace and inflicting casualties on innocent citizens.

He said that it is now a well-established fact that there have been sustained attempts from across the border, both in the past and more so in the last two months, to promote militancy and terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir in order to create a sense of fear and terror among the people and keep the place in a disturbed condition.

“It is also a fact that the attempts from across the border to disturb normal life continue. Credible inputs continue to be received of the likelihood of large scale terrorist attacks, sponsored by forces inimical to the nation and from outside its borders,” Kansal said, adding “These terrorist attacks are meant not only to cause large scale damage to life and property but also create an atmosphere of fear and terror among the people of Jammu & Kashmir, the vast majority of whom are peace loving. Banned organizations such as Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, HizbulMujahideen continue to make attempts to terrorise the people of Jammu & Kashmir.

It was in anticipation of this, he added, that the restrictions were imposed so that externally aided terrorism does not lead to a loss of innocent lives. “It is a tribute, both to the people of Jammu & Kashmir and to the security forces, that these measures have ensured that there is no unnecessary loss of life in Jammu & Kashmir,” he said.

He further informed that since 16 August, there has been a gradual removal of the restrictions that were imposed and by the first week of September, most restrictions were removed.

“Barring 8-10 Police Stations, movement restrictions have been completely removed. Over 99% of the area of Jammu & Kashmir has no restrictions on movement,” he said.

He said that the telephone landlines have been fully restored and are functioning for over six weeks, besides mobile phone facilities were restored in Jammu and Ladakh and subsequently in Kupwara district.

Sunday Edition

CAA PASSPORT TO FREEDOM

24 March 2024 | Kumar Chellappan | Agenda

CHENNAI EXPRESS IN GURUGRAM

24 March 2024 | Pawan Soni | Agenda

The Way of Bengal

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

The Pizza Philosopher

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

Astroturf | Lord Shiva calls for all-inclusiveness

24 March 2024 | Bharat Bhushan Padmadeo | Agenda

Interconnected narrative l Forest conservation l Agriculture l Food security

24 March 2024 | BKP Sinha/ Arvind K jha | Agenda