ISLAMABAD – The continuous lockdown of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK) at thehands of Indian government has broken the back of the region’s economy,resulting in financial losses worth at least $1.5 billion since August 5.
Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI), the region’s main tradebody, informed *Deutsche Welle (DW)* about the losses. The trade body nowplans to take legal action against the Indian government for the financiallosses.
Nasir Khan, senior vice president of the KCCI, said that the trade bodywould ask the court to appoint an external agency to assess the damages.
IoK has become a virtual prison since August 5 due to continuous lockdownand internet blockade imposed by India, the Indian government has alsostationed 900,000 army personnel in occupied Kashmir, a decision that hasworsened ties with neighboring Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani government has been actively pressing India andthe international community to end the lockdown. Pakistan Foreign Office onFriday said that the persecution of nearly eight million unarmed andinnocent Kashmiri Muslims, incarcerated by 900,000 Indian security forcesfor over four months, was a living testimony to India being a country withno respect for human rights and minority rights.
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On economic front, every sector of business in the region had been hitafter the clampdown and internet ban in IoK since August 5. “Thehandicraft, tourism, IT industry, e-commerce sectors and carpet industrywere the worst hit,” said KCCI President Sheikh Ashiq Hussain, whiletalking to the *Kashmir Media Service*. “Businesses have witnessed hugelosses and all sort of activities have come down in the Valley post August5.”
Hussain said that the hotel and restaurant industry has seen more than30,000 people losing their jobs. “The e-commerce sector, which includescourier services for purchases made online, has seen 10,000 people losingtheir jobs. The hotel staff, houseboat owners, shikarawalas andtransporters have been sitting idle or doing menial jobs. Weavers inKashmir are now working as labourers to earn their livelihood,” he said.
Hussain said that many new businesses were completely dependent on theinternet, that have slumped after internet blockade. “As per the figures ofhandicrafts industry, orders for carpets, shawls, paper machie has comedown by 62 percent than the previous years. We used to have bulk orders onthe New Year and Christmas. Now there are no orders because the tradersdon’t have any access to the internet. Many new businesses especiallystart-ups are completely dependent on social media but they have not beenable to access it due to the communications gag,” he added.