Adil Lateef
SRINAGAR, July 23: With cellular services down in Kashmir during the past 10 days, the Valley students and businessmen – away from their homes – have expressed worry over the safety and security of their families as they have no information about their well-being.
Thousands of students and businessmen outside Valley have no information about their family members since last week as almost all modes of communication were snapped by State Government after flare up in violence that broke out on the evening of July 8 with the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani along with his associates.
A student from south Kashmir’s Shopian district, who is pursuing Bachelors Degree in Nursing in Banglore City of Karnataka, told Excelsior that he and his dozens of Kashmiri colleagues have no information about their families. “We are in distress here. We have no information about our families and this has worried us. We are also running out of money and because of no cellular services we can’t communicate with our families. Please convey our problems to the Government in Kashmir,” said the student.
He said that he hasn’t spoken to his parents since the unrest started in Valley as cellular services were shut down in south Kashmir from next day of Burhan’s killing. Apart from students studying outside Kashmir, there are many others putting up in hostel of Valley colleges but have no information about their families.
A girl student from Kulgam, who is studying at a leading engineering college of Valley, said from July 9 she has no contact with her family.
“I along with my two classmates put up at Lawaypora (Srinagar outskirts) as paying guests and we had come here on July 8, because our exams were scheduled on July 12 and we had to prepare. But since Burhan’s death, we don’t know anything about our families as all of us hail from south Kashmir which witnessed worst violence,” she said but insisted not to be named.
The Kashmiri businessmen, workers and employees outside State and country are also worried about the safety of their families. Many have contacted their friends to get information about their families. Also, the residents of several states who work as masons, barbers, painters and carpenters in Kashmir said they are distressed as their families would be worried about their safety due to no contact since last 10 days.
Mohammad Yasir, who is from Uttar Pradesh and works as barber in downtown Srinagar, said: “I am looking for a BSNL postpaid mobile connection so that I could contact my family and tell them I am fine here. They would be worried about my safety after watching news about violence in Valley.”
Barring State-owned BSNL postpaid and prepaid, all private cellular companies’ services are suspended in Valley on Government directions.
As situation shows no visible signs of improvement, there are least chances as of now of cellular services’ restoration. Sources said if situation permits the cellular services would be restored phase-wise but no decision has been taken so far by the Government.
Earlier this week, the State’s Education Minister had said that the cellular services would be restored within “one or two days” but later no such announcement was implemented.
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