Mobile Internet, voice calling remain barred in Pulwama, Shopian

SRINAGAR — Mobile Internet and voice calling services continued to remain suspended in southern Kashmir’s twin districts of Pulwama and Shopian for the sixth consecutive day, today, since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Riyaz Naikoo.

The voice calling services were restored on Friday night in the rest of the districts of the Valley but mobile Internet continues to be barred in those districts as well.

In south Kashmir’s Pulwama and Shopian, the silence of J&K authorities for not restoring mobile phone services has been a cause of concern for the local people who are facing inconveniences amid rising COVID-19 cases.

Doctors and paramedical staff in the twin districts are having a tough time to communicate with each other and coordinate. Block Medical Officer Shopian’s Zainapora, Dr Khalid Abbas talking to media men admitted healthcare system has got affected due to the communication shutdown.

“Due to the suspension of phone communication, the healthcare system has been hit amid COVID-19 pandemic. We are facing difficulties in tracing COVID-19 related mechanisms,” he said.

According to him, they were not able to communicate with doctors and healthcare workers posted in the district. “This is affecting our fight against the Coronavirus. Besides, the expecting mothers are getting hugely affected,” Dr Khalid added.

People hailing from these two district stranded in different parts of India are also worried about their families back home. A student of Pulwama, stranded in Haryana, said that he could not talk to his family and it was only possible when his father managed to call him from a landline number.

The phone and internet services were suspended in Kashmir on May 06 after the killing of Naikoo in a gunfight in Beighpora village of Pulwama.