Normal life remains crippled for 55th day
Arawat Mehraj
Fresh restrictions were imposed in parts of the Kashmir Valley as a preventive measure ahead of Friday congregational prayers, officials said.
Strict restrictions on the movement of people, were lifted from most parts of Kashmir last week. However, these restrictions were re-imposed ahead of Friday prayers in many parts of the Valley today.
Security officials while talking with Kashmir Despatch said “People of Kashmir will be allowed to offer Friday prayers at their local and mohallah mosques, but not at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid since there are apprehensions of protests and law and order issues. Paramilitary forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police are on high alert across the Valley to foil any protest or law and order problem,” the official said.
Normal life remained disrupted across the Kashmir Valley for the 55th consecutive day, with markets closed and public transport off the roads.
While landline telephony services have resumed in many parts of the valley, mobile telephone services and all Internet services continue to remain suspended since 5 August after the Centre’s move to abrogate Article 370, that provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcate the state into two union territories.
Note: Due to the ongoing communication blockade in Kashmir, where the government has snapped all internet and mobile services, The Kashmir Despatch is being updated from New Delhi.
