Syed Geelani Sahib passed away like a dream in the night, and many Kashmiris frantically drove in the dark to catch one last glimpse of him but were abruptly halted and sent off back, ripped in emotions, without any closure.<\/p>\n
Then suddenly at midnight, our Internet and phone lines were snapped, and I felt a familiar sense of horror rush through me. It reminded me of the terrible days after the Abrogation of Article 370 when we were promised greater freedom and peace in Kashmir, but instead, frighteningly got locked up for a year, with no Internet. A year which extended to three after COVID-19. Not to mention that we lost all our businesses and our hopes of a happy future were dashed to the ground.<\/p>\n
Now, once again, with phones and the Internet slashed, it was like being plunged back to the Stone Ages, confined within iron walls with no connection to the outside world.<\/p>\n
Many Kashmiris families and relatives live abroad, some are seriously ill, and some even died during this time, and we couldn\u2019t say the last farewells or place video calls to see them for the final goodbyes.\u00a0 We experienced the terrible pain of separation.<\/p>\n
Some of the critically and terminally ill needed medical help but were unable to call because phone lines were cut, some need emergency medicines from metropolitan cities, but were unable to place orders or call endangering lives and hampering health conditions further. Not to mention our stress and anxiety levels escalated way beyond normal.<\/p>\n
I ask again, Where is the freedom? We are still not free.\u00a0 What happened these few days was like mental torture tying us up more, ironically, in the most militarized territory in the globe.<\/p>\n
Is it needed to put curfews and take off the Internet and phones when there is no violence? Will curfew sporadically be imposed as and when the government thinks, leaving us tied and muted?\u00a0 Is that what the Abrogation of Article 370 was about?<\/p>\n
What happened in these last few days after the passing of Syed Geelani Sahib exposes fake claims of normalcy in Kashmir.<\/p>\n
Shared by a Kashmiri, anguishing over the collapsing situations they encountered in the last few days with the snapping of phones lines, Internet, and curfews.<\/em><\/p>\n