Pre-paid mobile services suspended

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 27

Less than 24 hours after the J&K Government lifted the ban on social media, authorities suspended pre-paid mobile services and the mobile Internet services, including 3G and 4G, across Kashmir fearing law and order problem as protests flared up after the killing of top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Ahmed Bhat in south Kashmir today.

The authorities said pre-paid mobile services, including incoming and outgoing calls, were being suspended to prevent “spread of rumours.”

“The ban on Internet is temporary and we are monitoring the situation,” a senior Home Department official said while confirming the gag order. However, the broadband Internet services were not affected by the ban.

On Friday, the authorities had decided not to extend the ban on social media sites, which was put in place a month ago on April 24 following massive student protests.

But as soon as the news about the killing of Sabzar Ahmed Bhat, alias Sahebh Don, who was also slain militant Burhan Wani’s aide, in an encounter in Tral broke on Internet, including Twitter and Facebook, the authorities first took down the social media sites to prevent any fallout and protests.

“We have been asked to block the social media sites till formal orders follow,” a city-based Internet service provider said.

The earlier decision not to extend the social media ban in Kashmir was taken on Friday during a meeting of officials of the Home Department after taking into account the reports of security agencies, which have been baffled by the increased use of virtual private networks.

While defending the ban on social media, the government quoting from intelligence reports had last week told the J&KHigh Court that during law and order disturbance in 2016, which followed Burhan’s killing, it was observed that besides other media, social media platforms were profusely used by anti-national and extremist elements to instigate protests and incite tempers to cause breach of peace and disturb public order and tranquillity.

Internet also banned 

• The authorities said pre-paid mobile services, including incoming and outgoing calls, were being suspended to prevent “spread of rumours”
• The order came as protests flared up after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Ahmed Bhat in south Kashmir
• The ban on Internet was temporary, said senior Home Department official