Life remains crippled in occupied Kashmir on 67th consecutive day

SRINAGAR: In occupied Kashmir, normal life remained crippled on the 66th day, on Thursday, as military lockdown has cost the territory’s economy more than Rs 200 billion over the past two months.

Amid continued military siege, internet and mobile phone services are snapped, public transport is off the roads, and business establishments are shut while schools and offices continue to wear a deserted look, Kashmir Media Service (KMS) reported.

The lockdown has rendered more than 50,000 workers jobless in the carpet industry alone. There is also a shortage of skilled labour in occupied Kashmir, as some 400,000 migrants have left since India imposed undeclared martial law in occupied Kashmir on 5th August, as per KMS.

As per industry experts, Srinagar’s almost 1,000 iconic houseboats have been running empty due to the absence of tourists.

The global watchdog, Human Rights Watch has urged India to release political prisoners, end crackdown operations and restore internet and mobile services in occupied Kashmir. The HRW South Asia Director, Meenakshi Ganguly, in a statement posted on the website of the organization, asked India to announce an end to repressive actions and hold accountable the forces’ personnel responsible for abuses.