An order issued by the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday stated that the ban on 4G internet services in the Union Territory (UT) has been extended till January 8, except Udhampur and Ganderbal districts. Earlier, the ban on 4G services was imposed till December 25 by the administration.
Friday’s order said that internet speed will continue to be restricted to 2G apart from the districts of Udhampur and Ganderbal- where internet connectivity will be made available without any speed-related restrictions. “The aforesaid directions shall be effective December 26, 2020, and remain in force till January 8, 2021, unless modified earlier,” it added.
Further advocating the stoppage of 4G services in Jammu and Kashmir, the order pointed out that there was information that a large number of terrorists were trying to infiltrate from across the border and the curbs on high-speed internet had blocked their attempts to do so.
Meanwhile, People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) chief and National Conference (NC) Patron Farooq Abdullah on Thursday requested the Centre to restore 4G immediately adding that people of Kashmir — students, business people and others — were suffering due to the restrictions.
“We request the government that 4G should be restored immediately. It is unfortunate that the people of this state, our children, students, business people are suffering because now everything is online. When the Prime Minister is talking about 5G, we do not even have 4G. This should be restored as quickly as possible,” he said.
Mobile internet services had been suspended in Jammu and Kashmir since August 5, 2019 due to security reasons when the central government had abrogated Article 370 and Article 35A and J-K transitioned from a state into a UT on October 31, 2019.
