Livelihoods in IIOJK under strain as police raid SIM card vendors
Srinagar: A police crackdown on SIM card vendors in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir has further complicated the livelihoods of local businesses, adding to the mounting challenges faced by the territory’s population.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Indian police on Saturday conducted widespread crackdowns on SIM card vendors across several districts of the Kashmir valley, including Srinagar, Ganderbal, Islamabad, Budgam, Pulwama, and Bandipora.
The crackdowns aim to ensure strict adherence to regulations and prevent the misuse of SIM cards, according to a police spokesman.
More than 100 SIM card vendors were raided on the first day of the drive in Srinagar.
Many of these vendors rely on selling SIM cards as a primary source of income, and the increased scrutiny has led to delays and disruptions in their business operations. This, combined with other ongoing restrictions and economic challenges, has made it increasingly difficult for residents of Kashmir to sustain their livelihoods.
“Selling SIM cards was one of the few ways to earn a living here, but now with these raids, our businesses are being affected,” said a local vendor in Srinagar. “We are constantly under the watch of Indian forces, and the fear of being fined or shut down looms over us every day.”
Critics argue that such measures have only contributed to the hardships faced by the Kashmiri people. They see these crackdowns as a further attempt to restrict the freedoms and economic activities of the local population.
