“Lifetime of crisis,” writes Zaira Wasim on Kashmir restrictions

India’s national-award winner Zaira Wasim, who was last seen in the critically acclaimed movie "The Sky Is Pink", posted a long note on Instagram on Monday and said that Kashmir continues to "suffer and see-saw between hope and frustration". 

The 19-year-old - born in Jammu and Kashmir- further wrote: "Kashmiris continue to exist and suffer in a world where it is so easy to place restrictions on our liberty".

Jammu and Kashmir has been under severe restrictions since August after centre scrapped its special status under Article 370 of constitution.

In her post, Ms Wasim said that frustrations of locals in J&K "find no outlet". "The authority doesn't make the slightest effort to put a stop to our doubts and speculations but stubbornly tend to go their own way to confine our existence mired in a confused, conflicted and a paralysed world (sic)," she wrote.

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Kashmir continues to suffer and see- saw between hope and frustration। There’s a false and uneasy semblance of calmness in place of escalating despair and sorrow। Kashmiris continue to exist and suffer in a world where it is so easy to place restrictions on our liberty. Why do we have to live in a world where our lives and wills are controlled, dictated and bent? Why is it so easy to have our voices silenced? Why is it so easy to curtail our freedom of expression? Why aren’t we ever allowed to voice our opinions, let alone our disprovals, to decisions that are made contrary to our wishes? Why is it that instead of trying to see the cause of our view, our view is just condemned ruthfully? What is so easy to curb our voices so severely? Why can we not live simple lives without always having to wrestle and remind the world of our existence. Why is that life of a Kashmiri is just about experiencing a lifetime of crisis, blockade and disturbance so abundantly that it has taken away the recognition of normalcy and harmony from the hearts and minds? Hundreds of questions like these-unanswered; leaving us bewildered and frustrated, but our frustrations find no outlet. The authority doesn’t make the slightest effort to put a stop to our doubts and speculations but stubbornly tend to go their own way to confine our existence mired in a confused, conflicted and a paralysed world. But I ask the world, what has altered your acceptance of the misery and oppression we’re being subjected to? Do not believe the unfair representation of the facts and details or the rosy hue that the media has cast on the reality of the situation. Ask questions, re-examine the biased assumptions. Ask questions. For our voices have been silenced- and for how long....none of us really know!

A post shared by Zaira Wasim (@zairawasim_) on Feb 3, 2020 at 11:10am PST

The Kashmiri teen, who won wide praise for her portrayal of a younger Geeta Phogat in the blockbuster biopic - "Dangal" on the wrestling champ, last year had announced her "disassociation" from the field of acting, saying she was not happy with the line of work as it interfered with her faith and religion.

After centre's big announcement on Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, she had tweeted: "This too shall pass! #Kashmir (sic)."

Apart from scrapping J&K's autonomy, centre had also divided Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Broadband and 2G mobile Internet connectivity services across the union territory were restored last month after a shutdown for over five months.

The extended Internet blackout in Jammu and Kashmir had drawn condemnation from rights activists and agencies across the world.

The decision to relax the restrictions came after the Supreme Court, in response to a petition, on January 10 ordered an immediate review. "Suspension of free movement, Internet and basic freedoms cannot be an arbitrary exercise of power," the court had said then, adding that Internet connectivity is integral to an individual's right to freedom of speech and expression.

Several political leaders, including former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, are under detention since August 5 decision and Army is on high alert in the border areas.