Hours after postpaid mobile services were resumed in Jammu and Kashmir, SMS services were banned in the Valley. Earlier on Monday, the authorities in J&K lifted restrictions from the mobile services, but there sumption was limited to voice calls as SMS services were stopped last eveningas a precautionary measure, reports claimed.

Of the total 70 lakh postpaid mobile connections, 40 lakh have been restored and remaining 30 lakh connections are still blocked.Besides, over 25 lakh prepaid mobile phones and internet services, including WhatsApp, still remain deactivated in the Valley. (J&K: Postpaid Connection Users ‘Billed’ During Communication Ban, Lose Outgoing Facility) “Following improvement in the overall situation in the valley it has been decided to allowpost-paid mobile phone services from Monday forenoon”, spokesman of the stategovernment Rohit Kansal had said, a couple of days ago. Last month, landlineconnections in Kashmir, too, were restored.

For the past 72 days, ever since the abrogation of Article370 (which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir), many parts of theValley had been under an unprecedented communication clampdown.

In Jammu, communication was restored within days of theblockade and mobile internet was started around mid-August. However, after itsmisuse, internet facility on cell phones was snapped on August 18.

While the restrictions have been criticized by Oppositionleaders, the government, on other hand, defended the blockade, saying that thecurbs helped the authorities in saving lives.