Written by Sajjad Hussain
ISLAMABAD: Amnesty International said on Tuesday that it would be possible to stop Pakistan through a voting process after the interim government said it could selectively suspend services if requested by districts or provinces due to the law and order situation. It called on authorities to ensure “uninterrupted access” to the internet for everyone across the country. Pakistan’s Caretaker Interior Minister Gohar Ejaz indicated on Tuesday that the government may selectively suspend internet services on February 8 if requested by a district or province due to the law and order situation. did.
“So far, there have been no decisions regarding the suspension of internet services anywhere,” the minister said, adding that “such measures will only be taken at the request of a state or district.” he added.
In an open letter, the London-based non-governmental organization said: “We, the undersigned organizations and the #KeepItOn coalition, a group of over 300 people in 105 countries working to end internet shutdowns, Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja have appealed to you, members of the Global Network of Organizations, to ensure that the people of Pakistan We are committed to providing free access to the internet, social media platforms and all other communication channels. 2024. ”
Continued below
CPJ Asia, the Asia program of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said on and social media platforms. ”
Ejaz said there are 90,777 polling stations across the country, of which more than 40,000 have been declared normal. Meanwhile, 20,985 polling stations have been declared sensitive and 16,766 are most sensitive.
Solangi said the government has not yet issued any instructions to suspend mobile phone and internet services on voting day, but local governments have the power to take decisions accordingly, especially in areas of heightened security. revealed.
The possibility of an internet shutdown first surfaced on Sunday, when interim Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai announced that internet services at sensitive polling stations across the province would remain temporarily restricted on election day. It was time.
most read on the internet
Join a community of over 2 million industry professionals
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest insights and analysis.
Download the ETTelecom app
- Get real-time updates
- Save your favorite articles