Internet service partially 'restored' in Indian occupied Kashmir

Internet and phone service in Indian occupied Kashmir was partially ‘restored’ on Tuesday, six months after New Delhi revoked the special status of the valley, Indian publications  reported citing an order by the Indian home department.

According to India Today,  broadband and internet facilities were restored in five districts of the valley but there will still be a complete restriction on social media applications that may facilitate peer to peer communication.

The order, issued by Shaleen Kabra, principal secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Home Department, further said that the Kashmir administration will establish 400 additional Internet kiosks, directing service providers to provide “broadband facility” to all institutions dealing with essential services, hospitals, banks, government offices, hotels, tour and travel establishments. However, only 'white-listed' sites will be accessible to the users.

“Prior to giving such a facility, the lnternet Service Providers (ISP) shall install necessary firewalls and carry out ‘white-listing’ of sites that would enable access to government websites, websites dealing with essential services, e-banking, etc. excluding, however, all the social media sites. To amplify, there shall be complete restriction on social media applications allowing peer to peer communication and virtual private network applications for the time being,” the order added.

The decision to partially restore internet connectivity follows a decision by the Indian Supreme Court last week when it had ordered the restoration of Internet for all essential services in the region.

An indefinite suspension of internet service was a violation of the country's telecom rules, the Supreme Court had ruled in its orders, directing authorities in occupied Kashmir to review the curbs.