Valley curbs to go by weekend

SRINAGAR: Phone lines in the Kashmir Valley will be gradually restored over the weekend, beginning tonight, and schools will be reopened area-wise next week, BVR Subrahmanyam, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary announced at a media conference here this afternoon, even as restrictions under Section 144 continued for the 12th consecutive day.

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 16

Phone lines in the Kashmir Valley will be gradually restored over the weekend, beginning tonight, and schools will be reopened area-wise next week, BVR Subrahmanyam, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary announced at a media conference here this afternoon, even as restrictions under Section 144 continued for the 12th consecutive day.

“Over the weekend, you will have most phone lines functional,” he said. The restrictions were imposed to prevent a law and order situation after the congregational Friday prayers.

The Chief Secretary, accompanied by the Principal Secretary, Planning and Development, Rohit Kansal, and Director of Information and PR Syed Sehrish Asghar, said restrictions would be eased in the next few days. “As restrictions on movement are removed area-wise, public transport will become functional gradually. Telecom connectivity will be restored in a phased manner, keeping in mind the threat posed by terrorist organisations in using mobile connectivity to organise terror actions.”

The restrictions have been in force since August 5 when Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the Central Government’s decision to revoke Articles 370 and 35A while re-organising the state into two UTs of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

Subrahmanyam said 12 of the 22 districts in J&K were free of curbs with limited night-time restrictions in five districts of Jammu division. He said with these restrictions in place, there had been no loss of life “despite concerted efforts by terrorist organisations, radical groups and continuing efforts by Pakistan to destabilise the situation”. The Chief Secretary said the Centre’s decision was aimed at promoting long-term welfare of the people of J&K and to ensure “better governance and accelerated development”. He said this approach had been adopted to “address the separatist sentiments that were propagated by vested interests.”

Thar Express halted

New Delhi: The once-a-week Thar Express, running between India’s Munabao and Pakistan’s Khokhrapar, has been suspended by the Indian side.

You will see gradual restoration from Friday night. You will find a lot of Srinagar functioning Saturday morning. BSNL takes a couple of hours to get back to action. —BVR Subrahmanyam, J&K chief secretary