NEW DELHI: The Indian Supreme Court has sought answers from the government on the timelines for lifting all restrictions in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the Kashmir Media Service reported.
The occupied territory was put under lockdown on August 5, when the Narendra Modi government scrapped the special status of the occupied Kashmir. All mobile, landline and internet services were snapped. Schools, colleges and offices were shut and curbs were put on movement on roads.
“For wow many days do you want restrictions? It’s already over two months now. You have to come clear on this and you have to find out other methods,” a three-judge bench headed by Justice NV Ramana asked during the hearing on petitions.
Also Read: Indian helicopter with Northern Army Commander aboard crash-lands in Kashmir
Observing that restrictions needed to be reviewed, Justice Subhash Reddy said, “You may impose restrictions in larger national interest but then it should be reviewed.”
The Supreme Court was hearing a bunch of petitions, including one by Anuradha Bhasin, executive editor of the Kashmir Times, challenging the restrictions imposed in the occupied territory.
The court posted the matter for further hearing on November 5.
On Oct 18, Prime Minister Imran Khan had said 900,000 Indian forces in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoJ&K) were to terrorise eight million Kashmiris.
In a tweet, Imran Khan had said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was stuck between a rock and a hard place as he had thought that he could get his agenda of annexation done by using 900, 000 forces to silence Kashmiris, but after passage of 75 days the occupational forces continue to siege the valley.
“As the world watches the worst violation of human rights in IoJ&K, Modi is now fearful because he knows the moment the siege is lifted there will be a bloodbath,” he had tweeted.