Defending the clampdown on communication services, Malik said the safety of Kashmiris was more important than mobile services which the terrorists use for their activities and mobilisation. (file photo) Defending the clampdown on communication services, Malik said the safety of Kashmiris was more important than mobile services which the terrorists use for their activities and mobilisation. (file photo)

With mobile services restored for post-paid subscribers in Jammu-Kashmir, Governor Satya Pal Malik Monday said people can go on about their normal lives, including young boys and girls who can now communicate freely with each other.

Addressing an event in Kathua, Malik said: “Young boys and girls were having difficulties earlier but now they can speak to each other. Now, there are no issues. Very soon, we will restore internet services.”

Defending the clampdown on communication services, Malik said the safety of Kashmiris was more important than mobile services which are used by terrorists for mobilisation.

“People used to make noise that there is no telephone. We stopped telephone services because terrorists were using them for their activities, mobilisation and indoctrination,” Malik said.

“For us, the life of a Kashmiri was important and not telephone. People were living without telephones earlier also,” he added.

Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Satya pal malik: koi kisi tarah ki deekat nhi h.. everything will be alright. Internet will also restored soon.#satyapalmalik #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/QKC59H6Nwr — Gulistan News (@GulistanNewsTV) October 14, 2019

He said in the last two months, “not a single bullet” was fired in the Valley and no protests had taken placed as he credited the security forces for their strict vigil.

“The prime minister (Narendra Modi) had congratulated me for this. I said that I am not worthy of the praise and you should thank the Kashmiri people and the police forces for taking steps to ensure that law and order is maintained,” Malik said.

After 70 days of communication lockdown in Kashmir, postpaid mobile services on the BSNL network were restored in Valley on Monday. The government had last week announced that postpaid mobile phone services — around 40 lakh in the Valley — would be made operational from noon on Monday. Internet services have not yet been restored.

The restoration of cellphone services is part of a series of announcements by the administration on easing of restrictions that were imposed around August 5, when J&K was stripped of its special status.

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