Omar Joins Protest Against Ban On Prepaid Mobiles In J&K

However, the J & K CM has spoken out against the comprehensive ban, saying the move also punishes legal users. According to Omar, the ban on prepaid services should be lifted and security controls must be strengthened to curb its misuse.

The Interior Ministry, while the implementation of the ban, had said that the move “comes in the wake of reports of adequate verification is not being done while providing such connections prepaid mobile service providers and suppliers. In some cases, a single person had been issued with the number of multiple connections.

The J and K police earlier this year indicated that an improvised explosive device was triggered in north Kashmir through a wireless phone SIM card had been issued in the name of a senior army official in the northern district Kashmir Baramulla.

“False documents and identity cards are used by sellers, especially in the case of prepaid connections. This situation has led to serious security concerns. Therefore, the decision”, the ministry had said.

The use of mobile phones to explode IEDs is one of the most easy and widespread attack the security forces and militant after sowing of FDI can be exploited for miles.

Omar’s father Farooq Abdullah, who holds the office of the Union Ministry for New and Renewable Energy, Interior Minister P Chidambaram had also to reconsider the continuation of the ban on prepaid mobile services in J & K. According to Farooq, a ban on prepaid services had created anger across the state.

Outrage in the streets

The “walk and talk” generation in the state are furious that has been badly beaten with terrorists who use pre-paid connections.

“Are we extremists?” Shahid Khan, a student, asked in anger and frustration. “There are millions of prepaid subscribers terrorist connection?” He asked.

The decision to add this service has resulted in a total chaos among subscribers.

“It’s strange that I should be punished because someone somewhere might be misusing the facility. This is regrettable and reprehensible,” said Muzaffar Ahmad, 23, a university student in Srinagar.

There are some 3.8 million pre-paid connections in the state. Most of them are Airtel (one million), and new enterprises have entered the state as Tata Indicom, Idea, Aircel, Reliance. There have been large investments, and they too are angry.