Broadband internet services restored in Kashmir

March 05, 2020 18:35

Broadband internet services were restored in Kashmir on Thursday, a day after the Jammu and Kashmir administration lifted a ban on social media in the Union territory, ending a seven-month information blackout in the valley, officials said.

Internet services were snapped across all platforms on August 4 last year.

The next day, the Centre revoked the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

"The broadband services have been restored in the valley this afternoon," the officials said.

The ban on accessing social media sites and applications was revoked by the authorities on Wednesday.

In an order issued as part of the weekly review process, they reiterated the restrictions imposed earlier but remained silent on the social media ban.

The government lifted restrictions on access to thousands of sites like Facebook and popular messaging app WhatsApp through mobile internet platforms.

However, the cap on internet speed will remain and mobile data service will be restricted to 2G.

Netizens found the sudden lifting of the social media ban hard to believe, with some wondering what prompted the decision.

"I do not know what has changed in the past few months that the government has lifted the ban. The ban in the first place was misplaced and unnecessary," Naveed Anjum, a software programmer, said.

Iltija Mufti, tweeting from the account of her mother and detained People's Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti, said it seemed that the administration realised the futility of the ban as "Kashmiris circumvented it through VPNs" and "outwitted state apparatus".

The internet services were restored in Jammu and Kashmir in a staggered manner.

The restrictions on mobile and internet services were partially eased after the Supreme Court said in January that access to the Internet is a fundamental right under Article 19 of the Constitution and asked the government to review the curbs. -- PTI

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh passes away at 92

Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh passed away on Thursday night at the age of 92. He was brought to the emergency department of AIIMS Delhi in critical condition after "sudden loss of consciousness."

4th Test Updates: Smith out for 140; Australia 9 down

Manmohan Singh dropped pre-medical course: Book

Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who died at the age of 92, dropped out of a pre-medical course after losing interest in the subject, according to a book by his daughter. Daman Singh's book "Strictly Personal: Manmohan and...

Steady progress in implementing LAC pact: China

He said that in recent times, based on the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, China and India have maintained close communication on the border situation through diplomatic and military channels and achieved...

BJP got Rs 2,600cr donations in 2023-24, Cong Rs 281cr

During 2023-24, while the BJP received over Rs 723 crore worth of donations from Prudent Electoral Trust, it also got over Rs 127 crore from Triumph Electoral Trust and over Rs 17 lakh from Einzigartig Electoral Trust.