Pakistan Mobile Internet Is Cut Off On Election Day

Uploaded on 2024-02-09 in GOVERNMENT-National, FREE TO VIEW, BUSINESS-Services-IT & Telecoms

The Pakistani government has shut down mobile calls and data services as millions of people go to the polls to vote for a new government.

An Interior Ministry spokesman announced just before polling centres opened that the disruption in phone services was meant to “mitigate potential security threats” and “maintain law and order.” He did not discuss the Internet outages.

The shutdown comes after there were two separate bomb blasts outside campaign offices in south western Baluchistan province on Wednesday 7th February killed 30 people, and the Islamic State militant group said they did the bombings. The election is taking place almost two years since the previous prime minister, cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, was removed from off following a a no-confidence vote and he has been subsequenlty been given a lengthy jail sentence on corruption charges.

Current Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif is now on the ballot for a possible fourth term in what some analysts say is Pakistan's least credible election.

Both calls and data services have been suspended, though Wifi networks still appear to be working. An Interior Ministry spokesman said: "As a result of the recent incidents of terrorism in the country, precious lives have been lost. Security measures are essential to maintain law and order situation and to deal with potential threats."

The shutdown was criticised by Bilawal Bhutto Zadari, son of murdered ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who called for services to be restored. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, a prime ministerial candidate, slammed the suspension of mobile phone services. “Mobile phone services must be restored immediately across the country have asked my party to approach both ECP and the courts for this purpose,” Zardari posted on Twitter X. Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) had approached the election commission and the courts to get services restored.

The country is on high alert, with a heavy security presence at polling stations across the country. Border crossings with Afghanistan and Iran have been closed for both cargo and pedestrians to "ensure full security" during polling, a spokesman from Pakistan's foreign ministry said.

Pakistan has cut Internet services in the past to control the flow of information, though a shutdown of this extent is unprecedented, especially during an election. Pakistan also temporarily shut some of its land borders with Iran and Afghanistan to enhance security amid a surge in violence.

Forced national Internet shutdowns are a hallmark of authoritarian regimes and has been used in Iran and Belarus as a means of intimidation and information control during elections in 2019 and 2020.

Numerous international observers are in Pakistan to monitor the crucial polls - some analysts are suggesting there may be no clear winner in the election, and the powerful military generals could play a role.

BBC: VOA: AA: Al Jazeera: Telegraph: Democracy Now: Arab News:

Image: sheikh fezi

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