Kidney On Sale: Economic fallout of back-to-back lockdowns in Indian Kashmir
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By Sarwar Kashani
Qazigund, India, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- Nearly two years ago, Sabzar Khan, a 26-year-old businessman, expanded his construction business that was already growing rapidly in Qazigund, the gateway to the idyllic Kashmir Valley, nestled in the Indian Himalayas.
But soon after he raised funds by securing loans from a bank and local lenders, the Indian government suddenly scrapped the disputed region’s semi-autonomous status on Aug.5, 2019, and enforced an unprecedented months-long security and communication lockdown.
The move marked the beginning of Kashmir’s economic devastation before another lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic in March this year sounded the death knell for businesses in the troubled region.