A Kashmiri throws a rock at Indian security personnel during a protest after Eidul Azha prayers in Srinagar, Sept 13, 2016. — AP/File

What Kashmiris said before India shut down all communications

A roundup of tweets shared soon before the internet, cellular and landline phones were all shut down in the region.
Published August 5, 2019

A night prior to India revoking the special constitutional status of occupied Kashmir, reports of a communications clampdown in Indian-occupied Kashmir surfaced through media social.

According to reports from Greater Kashmir and Indian media, authorities in Indian-occupied Kashmir have suspended internet services on cellphones — a common tactic to prevent anti-India demonstrations from being organised and stop dissemination of news.

Local users also say that cellular and landline telephone services have also been disconnected, isolating the region completely from the rest of the world.

As the internet in Indian-occupied Kashmir was shut down, these were some of the last messages citizens and leaders tweeted:

Junaid Mattu, the mayor of Srinagar, tweeted saying that the people of Kashmir have endured "the unendurable" time and again and that they will continue to do so.

Congress leader Salman Nizami sent out a tweet confirming his well-being.

President Peoples Conference Sajad Lone tweeted that he and people from his political party have been detained yet again by Indian forces.

Infrastructure lawyer and activist Shehryar Khanum sent out a prayer for Kashmir while hoping that she and many like her will be remembered.

Mushaal Mullick called for help in locating her husband Chairman of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front Yasin Malik, who she says is critically ill and not being provided medical attention until last reports.

A number of users living outside of Kashmir, like journalist Tabeenah Anjum, were unable to reach their family as all means of communication — including landline phones — were shut down.

Zara Bakshi, a Kashmiri, tweeted about what her parents did as they prepared for the communication shutdown.

Editor in chief of The Kashmir Walla, Fahad Shah, shared a video of deserted roads of Srinagar as the communication shutdown started, "only hope remains," he said.