Mobile phone networks across Pakistan will continue operating uninterrupted for now, despite mounting security concerns surrounding the planned long march of PTI on September 27, according to senior officials at the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
The clarification comes after a high-level security meeting, where officials from the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Information Technology, and the PTA weighed whether telecommunications should be curtailed to manage the security risks posed by the demonstration.
The meeting ended without any order to disrupt service, and PTA officials confirmed to media that the interior ministry has issued no such directive to the authority for any part of the country.
Earlier this week, authorities announced a series of security measures for Rawalpindi and Attock, including downgraded mobile and internet services, a ban on public gatherings, and the closure of major highways, as part of efforts to maintain law and order.
The Punjab Home Department subsequently wrote to the federal Ministry of Interior, formally requesting the jamming of 2G, 3G and 4G cellular networks at several designated sites across Rawalpindi and select areas of Attock district.
These restrictions are set to take effect on September 27, although the department has so far declined to specify which exact locations will be affected or when normal service is expected to resume.
