It said in a statement that only people involved in medical emergencies would be allowed to travel across the troubled region. “We will make them aware of the reality”, he said.
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Mehbooba Mufti on Monday afternoon called a meeting of her close aides and some senior cabinet colleagues, after “she realised the mistake of banning the press and going public about it”, said an aide to the chief minister, privy to the meeting.
Mattoo said the decision was taken at “the local level and heads would soon roll for taking such a harsh decision”.
The fresh violence came even as the situation in curfew-bound Kashmir was by and large peaceful during the day.
A strict curfew was in effect in troubled areas for the ninth straight day Sunday, with hundreds of thousands of people trying to cope with shortages of food and other necessities.
“The summer vacations in the schools and colleges of the valley have been extended by one week”, Education Minister Naeem Akhtar announced here. The police had raided the offices and printing press of local newspapers on Saturday night and seized the published copies. The detained workers have since been freed.
Mobile phone internet and call operations remained suspended in parts of the valley.
Meanwhile, former MEA minister and Congress leader Salman Khurshid, who was accompanied by AICC General Secretary Ambika Soni for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation here following directions from the party president Sonia Gandhi said that it was unfortunate to hear about young people losing their vision due to pellets.
The resolution reflected the aspirations of the majority of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to protect their religious, economic and political rights.
The blanket ban on newspapers comes amid a popular uprising to which the Indian authorities have responded by killing at least 42 Kashmiri civilians and wounding over 2,000 people.
On Friday, the statement said a complete shutdown will be observed and post Friday prayers, peaceful protest will be held in all mosques across the state. He said he called for observing the “black day” to express solidarity with “Kashmiris who are facing atrocities at the hands of Indian forces”.
The United States, while still avoiding a public stance, has been quietly engaged with both India and Pakistan for promoting a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute, says the US State Department. In the ensuing clashes with security forces, 41 people including a cop were killed while over 3,400 people including 1,600 security force personnel were injured.
Referring to the demand on referendum over Kashmir issue, he said, “This demand has become outdated”. This includes the preparation of derivative works of, or the incorporation of such content into other works.
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This latest round of civilian repression has also seen the use non-lethal weapons used in the most lethal way.
