Army chief General Bipin Rawat reaffirmed on Monday thatpeople were moving around freely in the Kashmir valley and those claiming thatthere was a shutdown were the ones whose survival depended on terrorism.

He was interacting with reporters after presentingPresident's colours to 29th and 30th battalions of the Punjab Regiment here.

"Normal life in Jammu and Kashmir has not beenaffected. People are doing their necessary work, a clear sign that work has notbeen stopped and people are freely moving around. Those who feel that life hasbeen affected are the ones whose survival depends on terrorism," he said.

Rawat said brick kilns were functioning normally, truckswere transporting sand and shops were open, reflecting that life was normal inthe valley.

The Army chief deflected a question about whether there wastension along the Line of Control, saying people were facing trouble because ofTuesday's earthquake in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

A powerful 5.8-magnitude earthquake had hit PoK on Tuesday,killing at least 26 people and injuring over 300 others.

The Army had on Tuesday released aerial photos and a videocaptioned "loading of apples, work in progress in fields and people movingon with life" in Jammu and Kashmir.

Restrictions, particularly with regard to communications,are in force in several parts of the valley since August 5, the day the Centrestripped the state of its special status and decided to reorganise it into twoUnion Territories.

Rawat had on Monday rejected claims of a clampdown in Jammuand Kashmir and asserted that it was a facade put up by terrorists to project afalse picture of "harsh measures" to the outside world.

In reality, violence and killings were down and terroristswere being kept at bay, he had said in Chennai, insisting while communicationlines were through for people, there was a breakdown for handlers of terroristsin Pakistan and their associates in the valley.