High schools in Jammu and Kashmir to reopen today

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided to reopen high schools in the areas where restrictions have been lifted.

High schools will reopen Wednesday in all those areas in Jammu and Kashmir where restrictions have been removed, the administration of the newly created union territory of Jammu and Kashmir said Tuesday, more than three weeks after the Centre abrogated Article 370 which gave special status to J&K.

Vehicular movement on a Srinagar road after restrictions were eased on Monday.(ANI)

“We had already declared primary and middle schools open, from tomorrow we are declaring open high schools in all those areas where restrictions have been removed,” ANI quoted Director of Education, Jammu and Kashmir, Younis Malik as saying.

Malik’s statement came a day after army chief General Bipin Rawat said Pakistan could instigate violence in UT to internationalize the Kashmir issue. For now, Jammu and Kashmir remains out of bounds for politician.

Jammu and Kashmir Director of Information and Public Relations Sehrish Asgar said primary and middle schools are open in the Kashmir Valley and attendance in schools has increased in past few days.

Shops and business establishments can also open in areas where restrictions have been lifted while efforts have been made to ensure restoration of public transport services in the Kashmir Valley, she said at a press conference.

“Ten more police stations will be opened by Thursday,” she said.

Asgar also said steps are being taken to open a few more telephone exchanges in the Valley for revival of landline telephone connections in more areas.

Jammu and Kashmir has been under heavy security and restrictions that included a communication blackout imposed on August 5 ahead of Centre scrapping Article 370. The administration began to restore landline telephones on August 17.