Schools reopened in Jammu on Saturday as restrictions under the Section 144 were on Friday lifted from the district where no untoward incident has been reported following the abrogation of Article 370 that provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Jammu District Magistrate Sushma Chauhan ordered the lifting of restrictions imposed on August 5 when the state was stripped of its special status and split into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The district magistrate further informed that all schools and colleges shut on August 5 will reopen from Saturday.
However, the prohibitory orders still remain in the Kashmir valley, though they were eased ahead of Eid celebrations on Monday.
The decision of the Modi government was celebrated in Jammu and Ladakh but it had created tensions in the Kashmir valley.
Meanwhile, Governor Satya Pal Malik has directed the district administrations in Kashmir to reach out to people and enquire about any ailing patient in need of urgent medical care. He has asked for making available ambulances to patients who need to be taken to the Hospitals.
Governor Malik has directed deputy commissioners of respective districts in the valley to depute their staff for visiting different localities and take stock of requirements relating to ration, medicines and other daily needs of people and address them swiftly. They have been asked to visit at least 20 families daily and solve their issues.
The Deputy Commissioners of Kashmir have been directed to make available telephone helplines in their district headquarters for parents who wish to speak to their children outside Jammu and Kashmir. Helpline numbers in Deputy Commissioner Srinagar’s office are 9419028242 and 9419028251.
Meanwhile, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who has been camping in Srinagar since the past few days, on Friday held a meeting with Governor Satya Pal Malik at the Raj Bhavan.
During the meeting, Malik and Doval stressed the importance of reaching out to people and helping them meet their daily needs, besides ensuring their safety and security.
The two also discussed the arrangements in place for the observance of Eid-ul-Adha.
With Eid to be celebrated on Monday, the administration and security agencies have made fool-proof arrangements to ensure it goes off smoothly in Jammu and Kashmir, but are yet to take a call on whether to allow prayers in the large open grounds where thousands congregate.
Security agencies have identified at least four “hotspots” in south Kashmir, with a history of anti-India elements, ahead of August 12 when restrictions upon civilians are also likely to be lifted.
The number of cease-fire violations by Pakistan at the LoC has been drastically less in the month of August as compared to the previous month. Ceasefire violations had touched 272 till the end of July, which was the highest for any particular month this calendar year.
Following the decision of the Indian Parliament to read down Article 370 and withdraw special status to J-K, Imran Khan had warned of another “Pulwama-type incident”.
Addressing a joint session of the Pakistani Parliament, Khan had said: “Through this move, they are trying to crush the people of Kashmir, as a result of which a Pulwama type incident will happen. I can predict that. They will put the blame on us if such an incident happens again. They may strike us again and we will strike back and it would have grave consequences for the entire world.”