Demanding immediate revocation of the ban on pre-paid mobile connections in Jammu and Kashmir, People's Democratic Party (PDP) today staged a march in the heart of the city here.
Led-by party president Mehbooba Mufti, several hundred leaders and activists of the main opposition party carrying placards and raising slogans in support of their demand for revocation of the ban marched in a procession from party headquarters at Sher-e-Kashmir Park to clock tower at Lal Chowk.
The centre had imposed a ban on prepaid connections in the state from November 1 citing security reasons.
The "arbitrary" decision should be reversed early as it "tarnishes our image and projects the entire people of the state as unworthy of trust and some kind of a security threat," Mehbooba said.
"We were expecting a good news from prime minister Manmohan Singh and Union home minister P Chidambaram during their recent visit to the Valley but instead they broke the shocking news," she said.
He said while the direct impact of the decision in terms of loss of employment opportunities was considerable, it was the psychological and political aspect of it which could claim a heavier toll.
The banning of 38 lakh connections to prevent misuse by a possible few hundred people was an index of the lack of trust by an establishment in the citizens of the state, she alleged.
She alleged that in the name of security threat residents of the state were already facing hardships in one or other way. "There is no reason to ban pre-paid mobile service in Jammu and Kashmir especially at that time when situation has been changed," Mehbooba said.
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