NEW DELHI: Residents of Indian-administered Kashmir have expressed their anger at the announcement that the valley’s main highway will be off-limits to civilians twice a week to facilitate the safe passage of security forces.
“Never before have these kinds of restrictions been imposed on Kashmir,” said Dr. Riyaz Ahmad Daga, spokesperson for the Doctors’ Association of Kashmir.
“Closing the national highway twice a week will impact health care. Paramedics are dependent on the highway; doctors (will be delayed), patients who need immediate attention will suffer.
“Such restrictions will (increase) anger and frustration, meaning the situation in the valley, which is already suffering due to bad security, will deteriorate further,” he said.
Ashfaq Siddiq Dug of the Travel Agent Association of Kashmir described the decision to partially shut down the national highway on Wednesdays and Sundays as an “unfortunate development that will ruin the tourism industry, which has already been on the receiving end of militancy in the valley.”
In 2014-15, the valley’s tourism industry was badly affected by flooding. Just as it was showing signs of recovery, the security situation in the valley deteriorated, and the industry took another hit.
“The decision to stop traffic on the national highway for two days is really ill-conceived. Why doesn’t the government explore other means of transporting security forces? Why inflict suffering on the masses in the name of security?” Dug asked.
“The decision has spread panic. The government should have realized the consequences of its decision.”
On Wednesday, the government in Srinagar passed an order banning civilian traffic on the National Highway “keeping in view the large movement of security forces.”
The government cited “parliamentary elections and the associated possibility of any Fedayeen (suicide) terror attack on security forces’ convoys” as the reasons for its decision.
The order comes in the aftermath of the terror attack in Pulwama on Feb. 14 when a suicide bomber targeted a paramilitary convoy, killing at least 49 members of the security forces. It was one of the most serious attacks in the valley’s history.
The 280-km Baramulla-Jammu highway is the main arterial road in Kashmir, and connects the valley with the rest of the country. It also links north and south Kashmir with Srinagar, the capital.
“After the Pulwama attack we have to be very cautious and alert and we don’t want any more casualties among the security forces,” Dr. Hina Bhat of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) told Arab News.
“I don’t think any final decision has been taken on this issue yet. However, this is part of the security measures. If security forces are (safe) then so are the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” the Kashmir-based BJP leader continued.
“When national security is involved, I don’t think it’s important to talk to the apple growers’ association or the traders’ associations,” Bhat added.
Shah Faesal of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement (JKPM), slammed the move. “It is one of the most draconian measures adopted in recent times,” he told Arab News. “The National Highway is the only link (between) Kashmir and the rest of the world. It will put the entire population of 7 million people through hardship.”
Faesal, who recently resigned from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in protest against atrocities committed against the people of Kashmir people and formed the JKPM, continued: “It is a denial of the people’s right to movement and their right to health care and education. It will further fuel the sentiment of alienation in Kashmir.”
Former Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti called the government’s decision “a diktat of martial law.”
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