India restores postpaid mobile service to Kashmir

Oct. 14 (UPI) -- India's government on Monday restored postpaid mobile service to all networks in Kashmir some 72 days after blocking mobile and Internet services there when officials ended decades-long special autonomous status to the region.

India ended the special status, Article 370 which has been in effect since 1954, in the region in August, closing schools and shutting down Internet services just before the controversial move.

While mobile service is now available, Internet service remained blocked. India's government said it shut down communications in the region as a security measure.

India's government opened up some 50,000 landlines again in the region in September. Communication in Jammu, which was shut down at the same time as the Kashmir region, was restored in mid-August but saw its Internet use on cell phones blocked once again on Aug. 18.

"Having reviewed the situation, a decision has now been taken to restore mobile phone services in the remaining areas of Jammu and Kashmir," Jammu and Kashmir Principal Secretary Rohit Kansal had said on Saturday.

"All postpaid mobile services, irrespective of the telecom operator will stand restored and be functional from noon on Monday, Oct. 14. This will cover all 10 districts of Kashmir province," Kansel continued.

Pakistan, which shares the disputed area of Kashmir with India, had condemned India's move ending autonomous rule in the region. India, though, claimed the move was made because of terrorism in the region.