IndiaEasing of restrictions will lead to separatist activities in Kashmir, warn intelligence

Easing of restrictions will lead to separatist activities in Kashmir, warn intelligence

Date:

Jammu Tawi, Jan 15

On a day when broadband and 2G internet services were partially restored in parts of Jammu and Kashmir, the intelligence agencies on Wednesday warned that easing of restrictions will lead to a surge in anti- activities in the Valley.
Inputs gathered by the intelligence Agency suggest that restoration of internet services and easing of other curbs will lead to separatist activities in Kashmir Valley. Agencies also warned that Pakistan's ISI is planning a strategy to exploit the situation once internet services are fully operational in the Valley.
Meanwhile, the Official Spokesperson, Mr. Rohit Kansal told reporters that Terror outfits have been using encrypted mobile communications and Voice on Internet Protocol (VoIP) to plan infiltrations into India and reactivate their cadre in Kashmir.
“Sustained efforts are being made by terrorists to infiltrate from across the border, reactivate their cadre and scale up anti- activities not only in the Kashmir division but also in some areas of the Jammu division by using Voice on Internet Protocol and encrypted mobile communications, and through various social media applications to coordinate and plan terrorist activities,” he said.
“Since 16th August, there has been a gradual, consistent and progressive removal of restrictions and most restrictions now stand removed. Landline and mobile telephones, SMS services have been made fully functional. Fixed line broadband facility exists in Jammu Division while in the Kashmir Division, to facilitate the general public, students, etc., 844 e-terminals have been established besides 69 special counters for tourists, apart from separate terminals for filling of GST returns and application forms for various examinations,” he said.
Also, among others, a number of Government departments including those related to essential services and Government hospitals have also been provided access to broadband internet, he added.
There had been a significant decline in the cross-border infiltration attempt in recent months. According to government data, till November 2019, there were at least 202 infiltration attempts compared with 2018 during which 328 incidents of infiltration by terror groups were reported in Kashmir.
Pakistan is also planning to engage Afghanistan's Taliban fighters in its anti-India activities once the United States withdraws its forces from the war-ravaged country. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sought a detailed report from the BSF, RAW, CRPF and Indian Army on their assessment after internet services are restored in the Valley.
The Jammu and Kashmir Administration on Tuesday said that it will restore 2G mobile connectivity in five districts of the Jammu region from Wednesday.
The J&K Administration announced that while internet services will be restored in some parts of Jammu, broadband facilities will be provided to “all the institutions dealing with essential services” as well as hospitals, banks and hotels among others.
However, users will not be able to access any social media sites and messaging services, the order issued by Principal Secretary, Home, Shaleen Kabra, said.
According to the order, the Kashmir division will establish an additional 400 internet kiosks. “Internet service providers (ISP – BSNL/private service providers) to provide broadband facility (with (Mac-binding) to all the institutions dealing with essential services, hospitals, banks, etc, as also government offices and in order to facilitate , to hotels, and tour and travel establishments,” the order read.
“Prior to giving such facility, the ISPs shall install necessary firewalls and carry out white-listing of sites that would enable access to government websites and websites dealing with essential services including e-banking, excluding, however, all the social media sites,” the order read
‘'The aforesaid directions shall be effective from January 15, 2020, and remain in force for a period of seven days, unless modified earlier. These shall supersede all the orders earlier issued on the subject,” it added.
The order said that the institutions and government offices being provided internet access will be responsible to prevent any misuse. “While the mobile internet activity of all kinds has been suspended in Jammu and Kashmir. However, internet through fixed-line broadband facility exists in Jammu division while in Kashmir division, to facilitate the general public and students,” it said.
The order came days after the Supreme Court, on January 10, directed to review all orders suspending internet services in Jammu and Kashmir and stated that the “right to access the internet is a fundamental right under Article 19 of the constitution”.
The Central government had suspended the internet in the region following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which conferred special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union Territories — and Jammu and Kashmir.

 

  • Despite Orders, no sign of internet services yet in Jammu region
    Jammu Tawi, Jan 15

Despite the official order and claims for lifting partial restrictions, Mobile internet and broadband services were yet to begin functioning here on Wednesday morning, a day after the administration issued an order allowing their partial resumption in five districts of Jammu region especially in institutions providing essential services such as hospitals and banks.
Reports from Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur and Reasi districts maintain that mobile internet services are yet to start as people are unable to see the ‘data markers' on their mobile phones.
However, the divisional administration said it has activated the internet services but will start them slowly.
“It is activated. It will slowly start. The process is on,” Divisional Commissioner, Jammu region, Sanjeev Verma told to a news agency.
After more than five months of internet shutdown in Jammu and Kashmir, the UT administration Tuesday evening restored mobile internet in parts of Jammu region and broadband in institutions such as banks, hotels, travel establishments and hospitals with effect from January 15.
The home department said in a three-page long order that 2G mobile connectivity on post-paid mobile phones for accessing white-listed websites including e-banking facilities will be restored in five districts including Jammu, Sambua, Kathua, Udhampur and Reasi in Jammu region.
“The 2G mobile internet service is yet to start. My mobile is not showing the data marker. It is not accessible as yet,” Jammu university student Jugal Sharma said.
An IT business man, Arvind Koul, said, “We are unable to get the access and it is not working as yet.”
He maintained that the decision to resume internet is good for all as it is being done in a controlled manner without enabling social media to function.
Kuldeep Sharma, a journalist in Kathua district, said the internet service has not started as yet and he is expecting it to start late Wednesday afternoon.
Internet service providers will offer broadband facility (with Mac binding) to all institutions dealing with essential services, such as hospitals, banks and also government offices.
Mac Binding means to enforce a client machine to work from a particular Internet Protocol address.
In order to facilitate tourism, broadband internet would be provided to hotels and tour and travel establishments.
The order also said 2G mobile connectivity on post-paid mobiles for accessing white-listed websites including e-banking will be allowed in districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur and Reasi—all in the Jammu region.

Northlines
Northlines
The Northlines is an independent source on the Web for news, facts and figures relating to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and its neighbourhood.

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