No mobile services in Karachi, Quetta till midnight
Speaking to the media, Malik said that suspension of services in other parts of the country was being considered and will be announced soon through a press release.
Cellular suspension on 9th and 10th of Muharram
Federal capital
Mobile services have been blocked in Islamabad Sector G.
Sindh
Advisor to the Home Ministry Sharfuddin Memon while talking to The Express Tribune said that the administration had not yet received a notification regarding barring cellular services on 9th and 10th of Muharram.
Express News reported that the provincial government has requested the federal government to block cellular service in five cities on Ashura.
Punjab
Although, it has been, in principle, decided that the services will be barred across the areas declared sensitive in the province, the interior ministry was still deliberating over the matter, an official of the interior ministry privy to the matter told The Express Tribune.
The official said that the decision will be taken in a meeting chaired by Malik, which will be attended by Interior ministerial secretaries and officials of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
He said that in the meeting, recommendations from provinces and intelligence reports will be discussed, after which, the interior ministry will send directives to the PTA and further telcos will be communicated regarding the matter.
Express News reported that the provincial government has requested the federal government to block cellular service in eight cities on Ashura.
Balochistan
The Balochistan Government has decided that cellular services will be barred across eight districts, including Quetta, which were declared sensitive by the interior ministry.
According to Balochistan’s Home Secretary Akbar Durrani, the Balochistan Government has forwarded a request in this regard to the PTA. He said that the areas in which the mobile phone services will be suspended include Quetta, Bolan, Naseerabad, Loralai and Zhob among others.
He added that a decision to ban motorcycle riding was not yet taken, however, a ban on pillion riding will be imposed.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
The province’s Home Department said that no such decision was taken.
Speaking to Express News, K-P’s Home Secretary Azam Khan said that the administration had not received any recommendations for barring cellular services. However, he said, that security will be beefed up across the province.
Malik had said on Thursday that a strategy was being devised for suspending cellular services.
The Government of Sindh has also announced a three-day public holiday on 8, 9 and 10 of Muharram.
All educational and government institutions in Sindh will remain closed on all three days.
COMMENTS (31)
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How many more days this mobile service will going suspended?
Good Decision Rehman Malik. Let dogs bark.
its not stupid decision at all ... we shuld appreciate him ...
@Aneeta: this is not stupid decision at all ... han its ryt they r taking short term base solution to ths horrible situation but look at the other side his purpose is jus to cease death casualtys facing poor ppl...soo stop annoying wid him and see positve side too ... ofcorse this is not the solution but at least a try n we shuld appreciate it..
Good decision by interior minister as enemies of pakistan trying to devide the nation.the terrorist has to win only once,but the govt has to win every time
a country formed in the name of islam, but not able to celebrate islamic holy days
Such a foooooooOOoOoLish Decision.....There are many other mediums for terrorists to communicate... Most illiterate and irresponsible persons are running ME (Pakistan).
Dude why don't we just sack our intelligence agency when only the decisions interior ministry take are banning motorcycles , and cell phone services ? What is wrong with government . jobs of thousands are at stake as a result of PTA directives . we are going back in stone age
I see this as an opportunity for more terrorist attacks. How? Through car jacking. What this idiot minister does not realize is that vehicle tracking companies also use gsm technology to prevent car thefts. Now that the whole mobile communication system is down, it's a free run for the terrorists (and car jackers) to rob any vehicle and use it for terrorism. Even if they are not used for terrorism they would be able to cross the border before the networks are back on.
Hahahahahahaha, so much for intelligence!
Ahhh Now they lost the opportunity of Intercepting some messages and calls today... Today it would have been so easy to intercept communications between these groups and circle the originating areas and crackdown to make massive arrests...
But only defensive measures we see... No steps are taken to clean them tactically with Govt resources, Technology, Man power and Military Resources.
Ahhh even a common citizen like me can think on these lines but our Rehman Malik and agencies can't... Donkeys...!
Retards... If they really want to catch the terrorists start monitoring the damn calls (Grey calls), i guess Pakistan has one of the best Intelligence Authority in the world. This is just a childish decision made by interior minister. i guess he doesn't know the existence of WIFI and Internet Calls. Blocking mobile networks, Midnight packages, YouTube etc is just making the country worse and causing people more pain. Banning Midnight packages just because some Indian news reported the packages available in Pakistan is just insulting your own Nation. No Human rights are available in Pakistan and those limited things that were left for some entertainment are also being banned. Talking about mobile phone controlled bombs, the people who are causing the terrorism could also use alternatives instead (IED's, Wire, Radio, Victim-operated, Infrared, Surgically implanted). So where this blocking cellular networks is concerned there is just no sense of doing it and causing companies a loss of billions.
We do expect further idiocincracies!
and for those who are in favor of this stupid stupid decision think that terrorist can't find another way? really? you guys think this is the only solution?
Ofcourse, bringing better law enforcement, clamping down on the terrorists, clean-up operations, all these will only harm his party and its allies right? So why not just burden the common man since he can't do anything about it but take it lying down? Sign of the end times, incapable people ruling the people.
The ban on cell phones is a big security risk and major loss of income for millions (the worse off we are economically, the greater the chance of extremism spreading in Pakistan). Billions of Rupees will be lost today in the form of lost opportunities. What if someone needs an ambulance? What if terrorists attack with guns and grenades instead of remote controlled devices? How will anyone coordinate emergency services? If I see some suspicious activity, how will I report it. Rehman Malik isn't making the situation better, he is making it worse.
If even a single terror attack is foiled then by all means its a good decision. RM's is a thankless task. When he blocks phone an bikes. he is blamed for creating inconvenience for the people and when terror attacks take place he is blamed for not doing enough..
Keeping in mind that every time phones have been blocked and there have been a respite from terror attacks then yes I think he has done the right thing.
Well its not a stupid decision .. Most of the remote controlled bombs these days are controlled by mobile phone , they are activated on sms or call receiving . So its not all bad decision .. If not having a mobile services for two days saves even a single life then its totally worth it.
Curse on all authorities who took this stupid decision....
Well Good decision By Govt as this step proved fruitful in the past so lets hope processions goes peacefully.
This is just rubbish.........
why dont we just shut down Pakistan and live in caves
No reason to shut down PTCL wireless cause you still can communicate from ptcl landline services.
Yayy. We are saved. Way to GO RM
What if the terrorist start using USB internet devices which can provide wifi to mobile apps like tango and viber :D
Why not just shutdown evthing
Good step taken by interior minister !!
The terrorists would not be able to communicate with each other during the course the cellular phone service will remain suspended.
A good decision taken by the Federal Government.
This is the only way to stop the terrorists so that they should not implement their nefarious designed plans.
May Al-Mighty Allah save all Pakistani from these evil forces. Aameen.
Why you no block PTCL Landline too ??