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Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said that the mobile and data services have been restored in Quetta and in some other cities after the decision of the Balochistan High Court (BHC). The regulator informed the court that work to restore service was already underway and that full service could be restored in a matter of hours. The regulator told the court that restoration work was underway and that full service could return within hours.
The suspension began on August 6 when authorities halted mobile internet across multiple districts of Balochistan for security reasons. The closing was originally planned to last until August 31. Officials have cast the move as a counter to increasing security incidents in the province.
Civil society and business groups had challenged the blanket suspension. Petitioners argued that the blackout disrupted online education, harmed business operations, and created serious communication barriers for travelers and residents. BHC took the petition and ordered a review of the suspension.
At the resumed hearing, the court was told that services had returned in Quetta, Pishin, Chaman, and other locations. The regulator advised the bench that it could take a short time to restore all services across the province. The court warned that officials would appear again for review on August 25 if restoration was incomplete.
The residents said that connectivity had been enhanced in the urban regions, and decentralized areas continued to experience disconnection. People who worked as students, freelancers, and businesses that were located in the areas that were affected cried out the importance of uninterrupted access. Officials gave promises to further conduct restoration work and provided reports on the progress to the court.
The court will be on top of the situation and will hold another sitting in case the restoration is not done as promised.
