Malik Sajid
Mobile internet gag continues to cripple the chorus of life in Kashmir. Despite repeated assurances and indications by the state Government to restore mobile internet the services continue to remain suspended for the last 125 days in Kashmir.
As a result of gag on mobile internet number of business activities have collapsed. Online businesses and trade affiliated with e-commerce in Kashmir have faced losses worth over Rs 4000 lakh in past more than four months of the ongoing uprising due to ban on mobile Internet and often gag of broadband services. Rough estimates suggest that online businesses are incurring Rs 40 to 50 lakh losses on an average daily basis.
Bilal Khan, a student stated – “We are suffering like hell due to continues internet ban on mobile internet. The student community is worst hit as Broadband connectivity has a limited subscriber base and is not cost effective. We hope that mobile internet will be soon restored.”
Tech Experts and masses say that it is dichotomy that on one hand mobile internet is smoothly operating in Jammu region and on the otherhand it remains crippled in Kashmir valley.
Pertinently, the mobile internet services remain banned in Kashmir when ambitious reliance jio is operational in entire India and subscribers are drawing great benefits while as in Kashmir these SIMS have been rendered meaningless due to this ban.
Nayeema Mehjoor, senior PDP Leader and Chairman state Women’s Commission stated – “ I do not believe in such measures like banning internet or paper… dissent is what makes democracy work, banning other point of view doesn’t go with the essence of democracy….I strongly suggest ban on internet or newspaper or phones should be lifted soon and release all those arrested recently including human rights defender Khurram Pervez.”