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JAMMU: Jammu & Kashmir administration on Tuesday said SMS will be activated in Kashmir from midnight on Tuesday, after a gap of nearly five months. There is no word of restoration of internet services though.

Rohit Kansal, principal secretary to the J&K government and official spokesman, said SMS will start functioning again in Kashmir from 12 midnight, at a press conference in Srinagar on Tuesday.

“J&K government has decided to restore SMS in Kashmir from midnight today. There is no official decision as to when the internet services would be restored. The issue is under active consideration of the government,” Kansal said.

He said internet services would be restored as soon as the situation becomes conducive in Kashmir. He said broadband internet services will be restored in all government hospitals and schools in a phased manner in the coming days.

Internet services, mobile and landline telephony were suspended in Kashmir after Parliament revoked Article 370 and passed the J&K reorganization bill, resulting in the bifurcation the erstwhile state into two Union territories (UTs), on August 5.

While landline phones were restored in September, postpaid mobile services were activated in October.

On Tuesday, the Valley-based journalists held a protest inside the Kashmir press club demanding the restoration of broadband internet services at their respective offices to facilitate their work.

The state administration has provided journalists with the facility at the office of the directorate of information department only, since November.

