Pakistan awaits Kashmir dispute resolution as besiege under India enters 30th day

Kashmir has been an epicenter of wars between Pakistan and India for several decades.

SRINAGAR (Dunya News) – As Pakistan awaits resolution of Kashmir dispute with India under United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, brutal Indian occupation forces have cut off the Himalayan region with more than 10 million people from the entire world.

According to sources, the humanitarian crisis has worsened in the region as 30 days have passed since imposition of curfew ordered by Modi regime after unilateral abrogation of articles 370 and 35A of the Indian constitution via a rushed presidential decree, stripping Kashmiris of special rights.

Communications’ blackout, internet and mobile services’ suspension, closure of TV channels and stringent curfew have brought life to a standstill with all markets closed and public transport off the roads since August 5.

Over 10,000 Kashmiris and hundreds of political leaders and workers including Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai continue to remain under house arrest or in jails.

The worst type of humanitarian crisis is looming large on the horizon of the occupied territory as people are facing acute shortage of food, medicines and other commodities. Hospitals have run out of medicine stock, while staff finds it difficult to turn up for duty due to curfew and restrictions imposed after India scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special status a month ago.

The IoK businessmen are staring at a grim future as shops and business establishments are yet to resume normal activities for a full a month now. Traders say carrying on routine business is impossible in the absence of mobile and Internet services. “In 2016, the uprising lasted for six months. The businesses suffered then too, but not like this time. We would do some business then but the lack of mobile services has completely paralysed the trade now. I had to pay a penalty of Rs100,000 as the detention fee at the customs in Delhi as I was unable to collect my consignment from China on time. Due to no mobile and Internet, the information of the arrival of consignment did not reach me,” said Arif Ahmad, a businessmen dealing with housing products.

Sarwar Jan, another trader, too said the businesses had never suffered like this before. “In the past, mobile and Internet have never remained shut for a month no matter how bad the situation was. Landlines, broadband and leased-line connections would work then but this time, there is no sign of resumption of services. We are in a state of hopelessness and gloom. A few days back, I travelled to Delhi just to get access to Internet and mobile services. Unfortunately, the people at the helm seem to be inconsiderate to the problems faced. Our economy will be destroyed if these curbs continue,” he added.

The clampdown has badly affected the trade between Jammu region and Kashmir Valley with manufacturers and traders unable to recover payments. An estimated financial loss of around Rs 500 crore has been suffered by industries in Jammu as they are not receiving orders nor able to recover payments from the Valley and other districts.

The restrictions have also adversely affected the tourism industry, one of the main sources of livelihood, in the occupied territory. Empty houseboats, vacant hotels and deserted resorts present a gloomy picture of Kashmir’s tourism sector.

Sonamarg – considered as the gateway to Ladakh region – is a picturesque resort in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district and usually remained crammed with visitors. However, the resort looks deserted with most of the hotels, restaurants and shops closed for business. A manager of a local hotel said it was the only business they had as a few visitors putting up for a night or two. According to official figures, 174,000 tourists visited Kashmir in June, followed by 152,000 tourists including 3,403 foreigners in July.

However, officials in the Tourism Department said the department has no record of tourist arrivals in August.

In view of almost no scope of tourism in the territory, the airfares for travel in and out of Kashmir continue to record a drastic drop. The price of private tickets for travelling in and out of Kashmir has registered a record drop over the past one month since Article 370 was abrogated and restrictions were imposed. The air tickets are currently priced at Rs1,800 for travel from New Delhi to Kashmir.

‘Drones to monitor protests’

Beside curfew, Indian forces have been using day-and-night drones across the Kashmir valley to monitor activities of Kashmiris.

Indian forces are using drones equipped with hi-resolution cameras and night vision devices for the surveillance of protests and other pro-freedom activities in restive Kashmir, a senior police official confirmed to the media in Srinagar.

Police have already started trial versions of the use of drones for surveillance. The drones have been tested in some areas of Srinagar in the first phase and are being used in other districts as well to watch the activities and capture pictures and videos of the people taking part in the protests.

All such videos are stored in a central database and the same information is used for references and strategies to tackle pro-freedom activities,” said a senior official on the condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, a report by Kashmir police confirmed that more than 500 incidents of protests took place since August 5, with Srinagar topping the list with over 160 such incidents reported from the area.