The US and Iran are currently holding critical peace talks in Islamabad. US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf are leading their respective delegations. Consequently, the district administration has declared April 9 and 10 as local holidays across the twin cities. Heavy security protocols currently secure the Red Zone and major transit routes. However, the government has officially exempted BPOs and call centers from these blanket closures and timing restrictions.
BPOs and call centers serve international clients and require 24/7 uptime. Therefore, sudden city-wide holidays and timing restrictions cause significant financial and operational disruptions. Federal Minister for IT and Telecom, Shaza Khawaja, announced the exemption to prevent these losses. The government has already informed the district administration that timing restrictions do not apply to the call centers in the twin cities.
Despite the official exemption, information is trickling down slowly to on-ground authorities. As a result, call centers are facing teething challenges while navigating the heavy security cordons. To resolve these immediate hurdles, the IT Minister has established direct support channels. Affected BPOs and call centers in Islamabad can reach out through the following official mechanisms:
- Support Form: https://lnkd.in/dBKQeBVc
- Email: support@pseb.org.pk
- Helpline: 080001010
