Kashmir – The World’s Most Beautiful Warzone

After the revocation of Article 370, without any 4G internet in the valley and increasing militancy attacks, a lot has still not changed for the Kashmiri’s

-By Zeeshan Akhtar, 11/08/20

Photo Credit: Al-Jazeera

On August 5, 2020, Kashmir completed one year since the revocation of Article 370 and the withdrawn of internet services in the valley. Since the state lost its special status in 2019, a lot was promised to the people of Kashmir by the central command in Delhi, but not much has changed since then.

Kashmir has been in a complete or partial lockdown since the decision of scraping article 370 was taken on August 5, 2019. Locals were forced to sit inside their homes for days, children were not allowed to attend their regular classes in schools, shops remained closed for months with businesses affected with a ban on 4G internet services, and the world watched in silence.

Photo Credit: Al-Jazeera

After 4G services were brought down in the valley with reasons to curb the surge in terrorism, local Kashmiri’s are the one’s paying the price. Internet is an important tool for students attending online classes during the pandemic, for the businesses suffering as markets are closed, people working in offices struggling with their day to day tasks, and especially the health workers who are fighting the pandemic on the frontline with few resources and less available information.

Internet service such as 2G was restored in the state later during the year but that did not solve the problem as there were regular blockades on accessing the internet from time to time and even when available, slower browsing speed still remained a problem for the locals. Also, the claim made by the government linking the surge in terrorism with faster internet (4G) in the militancy-hit region is both silly and misplaced. Over the year, militancy-related activities have increased in the region and the news of our brave soldiers fighting every day tells a lot about the situation.

Photo Credit: Al-Jazeera

As the domicile law was passed, Kashmiri’s now fear that they will lose their lands to outsiders and the pride and heritage of the Kashmiri culture and traditions are now in danger. As the state lost its special status, it now allows non-locals to become permanent residents in the Muslim majority state. This will create a demographic divide among the local Kashmiri’s as they fear losing their land and losing out on job opportunities in the valley, which means, now the non-locals will get priority over them when it comes to a job, housing, and education facilities.

Terrorism has always been a major issue for Kashmir and many governments have tried to bring an end to the long fight over freedom and the control over power in the war-torn region. Revocation of Article 370 was intended to bring a complete end over the militancy activities in the region, but the ground reality has not changed in the last year. Another effort made by the government to take hold onto militancy-related activities was the 4G ban, but that also did not help in having proper control over the situation.

Photo Credit: Al-Jazeera

Kashmir is one of the most disputed regions in the world, and the irony is, in India, we call it “The heaven on earth”. Since the ’90s, Kashmiri locals have been suffering a lot, whether it’s the Kashmiri Pandits who lost their lives and lands to militants or the residents who fight every day for freedom. “Freedom” – that has multiple meanings for the Kashmiri’s living in the region. The fight is for freedom, freedom not from India or Pakistan, but freedom from hate, from destruction, and from terrorism. We can just hope that the situation becomes normal again in the valley and that Kashmir & it’s people – smile once again.