Phone services to resume by weekend in Jammu and Kashmir

A boy joins protesters holding placards at a rally against the central governmentu00c3u0083u00c2u00a2u00c3u0082u00c2u0080u00c3u0082u00c2u0099s move to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its autonomy, in Srinagar, on Friday. Pic/AFP

Srinagar: Most phone lines in the Valley will be gradually restored over the weekend and schools will reopen area-wise next week, a top Jammu & Kashmir official said on Friday while announcing the easing of restrictions in a phased and "orderly way".

Offices of the J&K government in the Valley functioned normally on Friday and the attendance in many offices was "quite high", Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam said. He said there has been no loss of life or major injury since restrictions were imposed on August 5, when J&K's special status under Article 370 was revoked and the state bifurcated into two union territories.

"...There will be easing of restrictions in the next few days in an orderly way," Subrahmanyam told reporters here, adding that steps would be taken keeping in view the evolving situation as well as the cooperation of the people in maintaining calm and peace.

"Schools will be opened after the weekend area-wise so that children's studies do not suffer," he said.

Telecom connectivity will gradually be eased and restored in a phased manner keeping in mind the constant threat posed by terrorist organisations in using mobile connectivity to organise terror actions, Subrahmanyam said.

On phone services, he said, "You will see gradual restoration from tonight and tomorrow onwards. You will find a lot of Srinagar functioning Saturday morning. Over the weekend, you will have most of the lines functional."

'Cong J&K chief house-arrested'

The J&K Pradesh Congress Committee on Friday said its chief Gulam Ahmed Mir was put under house arrest by the authorities here.
"J&K Congress president Gulam Ahmed Mir Mir was put under house arrest in Jammu Friday afternoon. Restrictions were imposed on his movement within and outside the state," a party spokesman said.

Will wait for now: SC on plea against Article 370

The Supreme Court on Friday said it will wait for sometime before passing any direction on the plea seeking removal of restrictions on the media in J&K after the Centre said curbs are being lifted gradually. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said, "We would like to give little time. We have read in newspaper today that landline and broadband connections are being restored gradually.Therefore, we will take up the petition with other connected matters," the apex court said. "The landlines are working. We also got a call today from the CJ of J&K High Court," the SC added. "We will see when the matter can be listed for hearing. We will fix a date on the administrative side," the bench said.

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