Cellular service to be blocked in 42 cities

ISLAMABAD: Mobile phone service will remain suspended in 42 cities of the country including the federal capital on 9 and 10 Muharram, an official of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) disclosed on Monday.

On the direction of the interior ministry, the country’s telecom body will suspend the cellular service of the country’s 42 main cities. A senior official of PTA told The Express Tribune that on the request of the country’s four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir the interior ministry asked the PTA to suspend cellular services.



The official said that the decision was taken after the provinces requested the interior ministry to avoid any untoward incidents during the processions.

Sources in the PTA said that Sindh had requested to suspend the cellular service of the whole province. However, the ministry declined the request and asked them to forward a list of main cities where processions will be taken out. The other provinces had pointed out the main cities.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2016.