Postpaid mobile services restored in Kashmir

Srinagar: Services of all postpaid mobile phones were restored in Kashmir on Monday. The move comes 70 days after the goverment imposed a communication gag on phone and Internet service in the valley, after scrapping Article 370 on August 5.

In a move to reach out to the people of Kashmir, the government on Saturday announced that the services of postpaid mobile phones would be restored by Monday afternoon.

Sobia a university student said, “It is good news. Work was hampered due to the communication blockade." However, restrictions on prepaid phone services should also be lifted.

Aasiya who was supposed to get married in September but had to postpone her wedding said, “I was unable to connect with my fiancée, who works in Bangalore. As a result, we had to postpone our wedding.”

The restoration of postpaid phone services saw people rush to the telecom offices in Srinagar to clear their outstanding bills. Mohammad Sabir a transporter said, “I have an outstanding bill of Rs 1,200 and want to clear the bill so I can make calls.”

The new move comes two months after landlines were restored across Kashmir. The government has taken several measures to restore normalcy in Kashmir like the opening of schools and colleges and reversing the travel advisory. Restoring postpaid phone service is seen as a big confidence-building measure. However, until the pre-paid phones and the Internet is restored, it will only be a partial lifting of the communication gag in Kashmir.