SMS back in Kashmir: After banning it for around five months, the government has restored SMS services in Kashmir from Tuesday midnight. Broadband internet services have also been restored in government hospitals across the newly re-constituted Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, reports said.
This came on the first day of the new year 2020 after Jammu and Kashmir administration spokesperson Rohit Kansal said on Tuesday that the ban on mobile messaging services and internet in government-run hospitals would be lifted completely.
However, many Kashmir residents said that despite the restoration of services, as claimed by the government, they are unable to send or receive text messages. Imtiyaz Ahmad, a customer, while talking to NewsX over the phone, said that he has more than 700 contacts in his contact list but is able to send SMS only on a few postpaid mobile phones.
Another user, who was also unable to use the services, said that he was informed by the customer care operative that they are yet to get orders from the government to restore the services.
Earlier, the government had restored the mobile internet services in Kargil, now a part of Union Territory of Ladakh, however, the services continue to remain snapped for the 150th consecutive day today in Kashmir. There has been no word from the government about the restoration of the facilities.
People of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir particularly the valley have been going through terrible times due to the internet gag, imposed hours before the revocation of Article 370 on August 5. Kashmiris from all walks of life have been demanding the government to lift the longest-ever internet shutdown imposed by any democratic state.
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The government had restored postpaid mobile services after 72 days while pre-paid services are yet to be restored. The three former chief ministers of the region have also not been released. These include Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
