Restrictions eased in Kashmir partially

International Desk: Restrictions in the Kashmir Valley were eased after five days of security lockdown to allow people to offer Friday prayers, PTI has reported, quoting officials.

Thousands of security personnel remain positioned across the Valley to watch out for any trouble following the Centre’s decision to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories and scrap Articles 370 and 35-A that gave special status to the state and its permanent residents, special privileges.

No Friday congregation, however, will be allowed at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar.

A video tweeted by ANI, showed people queuing up outside banks on Friday but the movement of the people remained thin, while a few shops mostly selling vegetables and medicines opened.

On Monday, the government moved to end special status to Jammu and Kashmir and turn the state into two union territories – J&K with a legislature and Ladakh without an assembly. By Tuesday, both Houses of Parliament had passed the changes.

The move reportedly comes after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval directed authorities to ensure that no person in the Valley was harassed. The officials, according to PTI, clarified that people will be allowed to offer prayers in mosques in their locality.

The government officials will reach out to people in every “nook and corner” of each district to ensure that the locals have adequate supply of various commodities ahead of Eid al-Adha, news agency ANI reported, quoting Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir Zone Basheer Ahmad Khan on Friday.

risingbd/Dhaka/August 09, 2019