Mobile services to be suspended in 13 sensitive areas for four hours on Eid
The suspension will begin at 6am, one hour before Eid prayers begin and will end at 10 am, an hour after they finish.
ISLAMABAD:
Mobile services will only be suspended in 13 sensitive areas of the country from 6-10am during Eid prayer timings on Eidul Azha, Interior Minister Rehman Malik announced on Friday.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Malik said that the decision was taken after receiving credible threats to national security, hence necessitating the move.
Showing letters from provincial governments who requested for the suspension, Malik said that the decision was not taken by one person, rather everyone was taken on board.
The minister added that the Sindh government had requested him to suspend services almost everywhere in the province but he refused to do so, saying that only the areas with security concerns were considered.
The decision was taken after a meeting was held with a five-member committee headed by the secretary interior, he said. “The approval is based on his recommendations.”
Regarding the criticism he faces over mobile service suspension, the minister said that he has and will receive messages on Twitter by several people calling him names and abuses, saying that he has taken the country back into stone-age, in return, Malik requested patience from his detractors. “But I have an obligation. I am the interior minister… and providing security to you is my responsibility.”
The suspension will begin one hour before the Eid prayers commence and will end one hour after they finish, Malik detailed.
“The order of the honourable Sindh High Court was also taken into consideration before making the decision. The court did not order against the suspension, but it said that the decision should be a speaking order… Earlier, we used to fill our own records which were not for public consumption. But this time, based on intelligence, we have sent out a proper notification so it can be seen,” he stated.
Citing security reasons, the minister said that he will not immediately reveal the names of the specific areas where services will be blocked and the names will only be released later.
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[poll id="920"]
Mobile services will only be suspended in 13 sensitive areas of the country from 6-10am during Eid prayer timings on Eidul Azha, Interior Minister Rehman Malik announced on Friday.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Malik said that the decision was taken after receiving credible threats to national security, hence necessitating the move.
Showing letters from provincial governments who requested for the suspension, Malik said that the decision was not taken by one person, rather everyone was taken on board.
The minister added that the Sindh government had requested him to suspend services almost everywhere in the province but he refused to do so, saying that only the areas with security concerns were considered.
The decision was taken after a meeting was held with a five-member committee headed by the secretary interior, he said. “The approval is based on his recommendations.”
Regarding the criticism he faces over mobile service suspension, the minister said that he has and will receive messages on Twitter by several people calling him names and abuses, saying that he has taken the country back into stone-age, in return, Malik requested patience from his detractors. “But I have an obligation. I am the interior minister… and providing security to you is my responsibility.”
The suspension will begin one hour before the Eid prayers commence and will end one hour after they finish, Malik detailed.
“The order of the honourable Sindh High Court was also taken into consideration before making the decision. The court did not order against the suspension, but it said that the decision should be a speaking order… Earlier, we used to fill our own records which were not for public consumption. But this time, based on intelligence, we have sent out a proper notification so it can be seen,” he stated.
Citing security reasons, the minister said that he will not immediately reveal the names of the specific areas where services will be blocked and the names will only be released later.
_____________________________________________
[poll id="920"]