ISLAMABAD: Cellular services in the twin cities were restored after a temporary suspension of one and a half hours for the second consecutive Friday in the current month on directives of the Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA).
"Cellular services were suspended after a letter issued by the Interior Ministry in light of intelligence reports about impending security threats," a senior official in the enforcement section of the PTA told The Express Tribune.
Telecom Policy 2015 termed positive development
Mobile phone networks went offline on Friday after 12:30am and restored by 2:00pm in the majority areas of Islamabad while some areas of the Rawalpindi saw cellular service disruption which caused anguish among residents.
A mobile phone services company representative said that Interior Ministry and PTA had asked the cellular service providers to suspend signals within one kilometre of Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa in sectors G-6 and G-7, which were adjacent to the mosque and the seminary but the service remained suspended in most parts of the capital.
Smartphones ready to take over
The PTA official upheld that Lal Masjid administration had called for a protest after Friday prayers due to which security agencies were on high alert, adding the ministry, therefore, directed the PTA to suspend services during Friday prayer.
Meanwhile, many people took to Twitter to express their anguish against the unscheduled disruption of the cellphone services.
No service again in Islamabad on some mobile operators including Mobilink. Is this becoming a Friday habit?
— Saad 🍓 (@SaadGH) December 18, 2015
PTA orders Cellular companies to suspend services in Islamabad on Reports of Violence may take place due to Friday sermon of Molvi Burqa.
— UnPathedWaters (@MIrfanQamar) December 18, 2015
https://twitter.com/zarakkhan257/status/677750422904381440
Cellular services were blocked in #Islamabad on Friday to bar Mullah Abdul Aziz from delivering telephonic sermon at the #LalMasjid. 👏🏽👏🏽 👏🏽
— Ali Salman Alvi (@alisalmanalvi) December 12, 2015
https://twitter.com/Ahm3d_ali1/status/675232415888097281
Another Friday and another black-out of cellular services in Islamabad during noon prayers, on directions of PTA. Reason: Security Threat.
— Shafek Koreshe (@shafeKoreshe) December 11, 2015
Cellular Services in 1 KM radius of Lal Masjid & Jamia Hafsa areas of Islamabad have been halted till 14:00hrs on the Instruction of PTA.
— Basit Alvi (@bpk69) December 11, 2015
Cellular services in #Islamabad - why?
— Yusra Askari (@YusraSAskari) December 11, 2015
Pakistani authorities have blocked mobile service in Islamabad. The gov;t has not cited any reason. It is now routine matter to annoy people
— Tahir Khan (@taahir_khan) December 18, 2015
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