By APD writer Rishika Chauhan

In spite of the Home minister assuring the Parliament on Wednesday that the security situation in Kashmir is normal, reports continue to come on the unstable security situation in the former province.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah told the Parliament’s Upper House, that “total normalcy prevails in Kashmir, with government office and educational institutions functioning fully.”

However, reports suggest that transport as well as other sectors have been affected. For instance, only private vehicles are on the road, buses are still missing.

According to an Indian Express report,” Advertising Shops and businesses across Kashmir had been shut for over 100 days to protest against the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and the bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories on August 5.”

“Recently, business establishments and shops in parts of the Valley had started to remain open for the entire day… Shah’s statement seemingly did not go down well with people in the Valley, especially traders,” the report further added.

Meanwhile fears that the economy will be affected are also ripe. Sheikh Ashiq, president of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries explained, “Yesterday, we saw shops opening for the whole day… Today, they shut it on their own… There was no call for shutdown from any side.”

“We feel that the shutdown was reaction to what the Home minister said in Parliament yesterday,” he added.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)