The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has demanded the immediate restoration of internet and cellular services across the country.
In a post on social media platform X, it said: “The ongoing disruption to services has occurred despite the Sindh High Court’s direction to the caretaker government to ensure uninterrupted internet services on polling day.”
“With the PTA claiming it has received no instructions from the government to block internet services, there is a worrying lack of transparency about where, when and how long the disruption will continue, thereby affecting voters’ right to information and potentially the transmission of results,” the HRCP said.
HRCP demands the immediate restoration of cellular and internet services across the country. The ongoing disruption to services has occurred despite the Sindh High Court's direction to the caretaker government to ensure uninterrupted internet services on polling day. With the PTA…
— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) February 8, 2024
Suspension of mobile, internet services attack on Pakistanis’ democratic rights: Nighat Dad
Nighat Dad—a lawyer who runs the not-for-profit Digital Rights Foundation—has said the outage of mobile and internet services “is an attack on the democratic rights of Pakistanis”.
She told AFP. “Shutting down mobile phone services is not a solution to national security concerns. If you shut down access to information you create more chaos.”
It is pertinent to note that Interior Ministry said mobile phone services had been suspended across the country owing to security concerns.
Voters rely on a text messaging service, provided by the Election Commission of Pakistan, to confirm the polling station where they are registered, leading to completely shutdown of ECP services.
