Kashmir Restrictions Devastating

Weeks ahead of its Asia Subcommittee hearing on human rights in South Asia, the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) said the communications shutdown is having a “devastating impact” on Kashmiris and called for restrictions to be lifted. “India’s communication blackout in Kashmir is having a devastating impact on the lives and welfare of everyday Kashmiris. It’s time for India to lift these restrictions and afford Kashmiris the same rights and privileges as any other Indian citizen,” HFAC said via Twitter.

The HFAC account had posted a report by the New York Times that described the death of 22-year-old Amir Farooq Dar. Mr. Dar had died 16 hours after being bitten by a snake because his family could not get him antivenom in time because of severe communications and movement restrictions in Jammu & Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 (special status for Jammu & Kashmir).