The Jammu and Kashmir administration issued an order on Friday extending the ban on 4G services in Jammu and Kashmir till January 8.
The restriction on high-speed internet services has been in place since August 5, 2019 due to security reasons. This was when the Union Government had scrapped Articles 370 and 35A, and Jammu and Kashmir transitioned from a State to a Union Territory on October 31 of last year.
Earlier, the ban on 4G services was to end after December 25. However, the new order by the administration has extended the ban, except in the districts of Udhampur and Ganderbal, which have been exempted from any internet speed-related restrictions.
The recent order indicated the possibility of a large number of terrorists infiltrating from across the border and said that curbs on high-speed internet has blocked their attempts to do so.
Meanwhile, National Conference (NC) patriarch and People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) chief Farooq Abdullah requested the Centre to restore 4G services immediately. He added that the people of Kashmir — especially students and business people — were suffering due to the curbs on internet-speed. “When the Prime Minister is talking about 5G, we do not even have 4G. This should be restored as quickly as possible,” he said.