Caretaker Govt hints at suspending internet services on Feb 8 polling day

The caretaker government hints at suspending internet services on February 8 polling day!


A day after caretaker Minister of Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi turned down the possibility of an internet shutdown on February 8, Caretaker Interior Minister Dr Gohar Ejaz on Tuesday said that the government would consider suspending the internet services on February 8 only if it gets a request from a district or province given the security situation.


Addressing a presser in Islamabad alongside caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi, Dr Gohar Ejaz said, “So far, there has been no decision made regarding the suspension of internet services at any place.”

Dr Ejaz while talking about the law and order situation today, said that the government was making efforts to hold peaceful elections without any loss of lives.

“The election atmosphere in Sindh is full of excitement and it does not seem that any political party has enmity with another,” he said, adding that he did not see any tension between the candidates in Balochistan during his visit. 

He said that we do not want to take the law into our hands in Sindh, “The parties contesting the polls in Sindh have known each other for years.”

The interior minister said that the government will provide security in three layers.

“The commandos will be deployed in Balochistan to respond in the shortest possible time,” he said. 

“Police, civil armed forces and army will give you protection. We will not let anyone raise an eyebrow against the integrity and independence of Pakistan,” he said. 

Dr Ejaz informed that there are 90,777 polling stations across the country of which over 40,000 have been declared normal.

Meanwhile, 20,985 polling stations have been declared sensitive and 16,766 have been declared most sensitive.

On the other hand, the Sindh High Court (SHC) upholds the stay order on uninterrupted internet access till Feb 8 elections. 

During the hearing of a case today, SHC Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi expressed dismay over the suspension of internet services, saying: “How would the internet work anywhere else when it’s not even working for them [judges]”  

He remarked that it seemed as if the internet would function properly after the elections.

The high court adjourned the hearing till February 21 as a lawyer for the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) failed to appear before the court.