Srinagar
In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops continued massive cordon and search operations (CASOs) in Srinagar and several other areas of the territory, causing huge inconvenience to the residents.
The troops continue to conduct these operations in Srinagar, Kupwara, Handwara, Rafiabad, Tujjar, Chandoosa, Pattan, Hajin, Chadoora, Kangan, Tral, Awantipora, Bijbehara, Shopian, Kulgam, Ramban, Kishtwar, Doda and other areas. The residents of several areas talking to media men said that the harassment, frisking, checking and door-to-door searches by the troops had made their life miserable. They said that the troops and police personnel during operations besides arresting youth were abusing and threatening inmates to stop supporting the liberation struggle. In the meanwhile, normal life remained badly hit in the Kashmir Valley due to the military siege and broadband internet shutdown on 178th consecutive day, Wednesday.
The Jammu and Kashmir Muslim League at a meeting in Srinagar presided over by its Acting Chairman, Farooq Ahmed Tawhidi, said that on 5th August, 2019, the rightwing Bharatiya Janata Party government while furthering the communal agenda of extremist Hindu organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh repealed the special status of occupied Kashmir and the main motive behind this unconstitutional move was to change the demographic composition of the territory. Addressing on the occasion, Farooq Ahmad Tawhidi paid rich tributes to the determination of the Kashmiri detainees including the party Chairman, Masarrat Aalam Butt, languishing in different jails of the territory and India.
He also hailed the efforts being made by Pakistan particularly Prime Minister Imran Khan to highlight at the global level the sufferings of the people of occupied Kashmir.
The Kashmir Press Club in a statement issued after a meeting in Srinagar condemned the continued denial of internet services to media organizations and working journalists in the Kashmir Valley and asked the Indian government to restore the facility immediately.
A website India spend in a report quoting the estimate of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that since 5th August, 2019, a total of 144,500 people had lost their jobs in Kashmir’s tourism and handicrafts sector – mostly dependent on earnings from travelers. The report said that the overall job loss in the commercial space stood at 496,000.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists in a statement denounced as complete farce India’s claim of having partially restored internet access in occupied Kashmir, saying that many local news websites remain blocked in the territory.
CPJ’s senior Asia researcher, Aliya Iftikhar, said by continuing to control access to information, the Indian government is showing a complete disregard for the constitutional right to freedom of speech.
APHC-AJK leader and the Vice Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement, Abdul Majeed Malik, in a statement issued in Islamabad condemned the continued lockdown imposed by India in occupied Kashmir.
Another APHC-AJK leader and Vice Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir People’s League, Syed Aijaz Rehmani, in his statement in Islamabad expressed serious concern over the plight of illegally detained Kashmiris languishing in different jails.—KMS
