Public holiday on Feb 5 on account of Kashmir Day

The federal government has announced a public holiday on February 5 on account of Kashmir Solidarity Day.

A notification issued by the Ministry of Interior on January said that 5th February 2021 shall be a public holiday for observing Kashmir Solidarity Day.

The government said the Kashmir Day is being observed to “signify political and moral support in their struggle for self-determination and to honour” Kashmiri martyrs. A one-minute silence will be observed on February 5 in solidarity with the Kashmiris.

Kashmir issue remains a flash point between Pakistan and India with Islamabad constantly urging the world to hold a plebiscite on Kashmir.

The conflict prompted global outrage after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unilateral decision to revoke Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that grants special status to the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The Narendra Modi-led government had also imposed communication blackouts in the occupied region ahead of its controversial decision to revoke the autonomy of the occupied region.

But weeks of slow or no internet are a regular occurrence in the disputed region.

The Indian government reinstated low-speed 2G internet services in January 2020, but a blackout in May of last year massively set back health services and contact tracing efforts to curb the new coronavirus.