The Balochistan government has suspended mobile internet in Quetta for 24 hours, citing security threats and law-order concerns.
Quetta
The Balochistan government on Friday suspended mobile data services in Quetta for 24 hours, citing a peculiar law and order situation, local media reported. The decision, announced through an official letter, follows renewed fears of unrest in the provincial capital.
According to a report by Dawn, the government requested Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior to direct relevant authorities to suspend 3G and 4G internet services across Quetta on October 31. Owing to the peculiar law and order situation and threat perceptions, the services of 3G and 4G are required to be jammed in district Quetta, the letter stated.
This move marks the second major disruption of internet services in the province in recent months. In August, mobile data services were similarly suspended across Balochistan on security grounds before being restored by order of the Balochistan High Court (BHC). The previous shutdown had drawn widespread criticism as it severely impacted education, online businesses, and media operations.
Students attending online classes had struggled to access lectures and submit assignments, particularly in rural districts with already limited digital access. Entrepreneurs and freelancers in Quetta, Turbat, Khuzdar, and Panjgur also reported significant financial losses. Our entire work depends on the internet; this shutdown has pushed us to the brink of financial collapse, one business owner told The Balochistan Post.
Journalists and media outlets in the province have described the restrictions as an information blackout, claiming they are unable to share updates from the ground. Human rights groups and political organisations have accused the provincial government of punishing the public collectively instead of strengthening security measures to address the underlying threats.
