Grim situation of IOK remains unchanged on 68th day

In occupied Kashmir, people living in the Kashmir Valley and Muslim majority areas of the Jammu region continue to face severe hardships due to the crippling clampdown imposed by India that entered the 68th consecutive day, today.

Besides facing a shortage of essential commodities including food and medicines due to on and off restrictions and shutdown, the people find it very difficult to know about their near and dear ones living within the territory or outside it as the communications lines barring some landline phones are cut and public transport is unavailable.

There have been certain cases when families came to know about the death of their relatives after a week or so.

Reports have also come out that some people died because they could not be taken to hospitals on time due to the lockdown.

Pertinently, the authorities have not allowed Friday prayers at any of the major mosques and shrines of the territory since August 05.

As the territory getting into the third month of the humanitarian crisis triggered by the Indian government’s decision to abrogate special status of Jammu and Kashmir on 5th August, normal life continues to remain paralyzed.

Internet connectivity stands closed. The train between Baramulla and Banihal continues to be frozen for more than nine weeks.

The authorities made several efforts in the past nine weeks to reopen the schools. However, officials admit that the students did not come to schools.

People in most of the Valley areas including Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam have not been able to harvest the apple, which may have serious impact on the economy of the Kashmiri people.

An English language Indian website in a report said that Kashmiri boys aged 14 and 16 are held under dreaded Public Safety Act and sent to jails in Uttar Pradesh.

It said that the occupational authorities were not required to provide grounds for detention for up to 10 days.