SHC continues interim order for uninterrupted mobile phone, internet services

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday extended its interim order directing the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Federal Ministry for Information Technology to ensure that there was no more disruption and shutdown of cellular phone and internet broadband services unless provisions of relevant rules were attracted.

The high court directed the PTA and the IT ministry to file comments on the petition by February 6 and in the meantime, ordered the PTA to ensure smooth and uninterrupted mobile phone and broadband services and access to social media platforms and websites.

The directions came on a petition against frequent closures of internet services in the country.

The petitioner, Jibran Nasir, who is also an independent candidate in the coming general elections, submitted in the petition that the PTA and the IT ministry were causing hindrance in access to social media platforms while disrupting internet broadband services without any cogent reasons.

He submitted that the PTA had shut down political parties’ websites and independent candidates’ websites while one political party’s website had been shut down for last seven days.

He submitted that the PTA and other respondents had disrupted the internet services and shut down the social media platforms, and it appeared that such an act aimed to hinder electioneering of political parties as well as independent candidates who were contesting the polls and conducting campaigns on social media.

The petitioner submitted that the official respondents prima facie did not want to allow such candidates to use such platforms for their election campaigns, which appeared as a cost-effective source to approach the voters at large, whereas no reasonable explanation whatsoever had been offered for such abrupt interruptions and shutting of social media platforms.

Nasir said the PTA and the IT ministry, instead of remedying the grievance by removing the technical errors, issued a statement to the effect that there was likelihood of further interruptions and shutting down of social media platforms for the next 90 days during which the general elections were scheduled to be held.

He said that he and public at large had a serious apprehension about such interruptions, as shutdowns

of internet services may be used as pre-poll rigging for the reason the media persons and the social media users as well as public at large would not be in a position

to report any event of rigging etc. on the day of the polling.

A counsel for the PTA submitted that the internet service slowed down due to massive traffic on internet sites in the wake of electioneering.

The PTA and a federal law officer sought time to file comments on the petition.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi granting time directed the PTA and others to file comments by February 6.

The high court in the meantime continued the interim order directing the PTA and others to ensure that unless the provision of the Section 8 and Section 54 of the Pakistan Telecommunication Act read with relevant

rules were attracted, there should be no disruption and shutting down of mobile and internet broadband services.

The SHC also told the PTA to ensure smooth and uninterrupted internet broadband services so that the people could have access to social media platforms or

websites.