Additional Indian troops deployed in IOK to prevent protests

ISLAMABAD: Police vans fitted with speakers are making public announcements in held Srinagar about movement restrictions, while additional troops have been deployed to prevent any protests in Valley, Kashmir Media Service reported.

The authorities in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) have intensified restrictions, especially in the backdrop of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s speech on Kashmir at the United Nations General Assembly, which prompted the youth to come out of their houses in jubilation and clashed with the Indian troops at many places in the territory.

According to officials and eyewitnesses, the troops also blocked access to the main business centre of Srinagar with razor wires. However, Indian media reported that youth defied restrictions and came to streets in jubilation at many places in the territory and raised pro-freedom and pro-Pakistan slogans.

Police recorded at least 15 late night protests and eight daytime incidents of stone-pelting in the past 48 hours in Srinagar and clashes with Indian forces. The forces used teargas shells to break up the protests.

Several youth managed to enter mosques and used its public address system to raise anti-India slogans and play religious songs, a police officer, posted in the old city, told the media. Meanwhile, shops, transport, internet and other channels of communication continue to remain suspended on Sunday

With not even an iota of improvement in the situation on the ground, life continues to remain uncertain in Kashmir valley and parts of Jammu region on the 57th consecutive day (Sunday).

According to Kashmir Media Service (KMS), From North to South, business activities continue to remain suspended and public transport is off the road in the occupied territory. Contradicting the Indian government’s claims that schools up to high school-level are open, the parents maintain that attendance of students remains negligible in all ten districts of the valley and five of the Jammu region.

Most of the interiors in Srinagar’s old city continue to remain sealed with iron barricades and concertina wire while the deployment of police and paramilitary forces is intact.

The clampdown has not only affected inter-district road connectivity drastically but has also thrown great challenges for old city residents due to the shutting of factories, industries, and other workplaces.

There are around nine cement factories in the areas and more than 70 percent of the workforce is from the local population and the transportation of cement is also carried out by trucks owned by the locals. According to an estimate, each household in Khew and Khonmoh own trucks. There are more than 1200 trucks in the area which are lying idle. The past over 50 days has also brought the challenging times for the patients who rely on the consumption of lifesaving drugs which is running short of stock in the valley.

The valley based chemists are pointing out at the prevailing uncertainty and the ongoing cellular gag as the major reason for the unavailability of the stocks of life-saving drugs. Meanwhile, amid appearance of posters asking people to carry their struggle against India’s illegal occupation, there are reports of protests at Hawal and other areas of Srinagar.