ECP volte face: Mobile services no longer suspended in Sindh
The decision to suspend cellular services in Sindh taken back.
Cellular services will not be suspended in Sindh on Election Day. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
The notification to suspend mobile services across Sindh just ahead of the elections has been taken back, Express News reported.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had earlier issued a notice saying mobile services will remain suspended across the province from 7pm tonight till 5pm tomorrow. This decision has now been taken back.
Cellular services in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can still be suspended, however.
Mobile services have been suspended in the country in the past as a preventative security measure.
On May 6, Secretary Election Commission Ishtiaq Ahmed said, “there are chances that mobile service can be suspended (on polling day) as part of security arrangements as provinces are working on this in collaboration with federation”.
Election threats
The Tehreek-e-Taliban have stepped up their threats against the elections, warning voters to boycott polling stations to save their lives as bloody attacks targeted party offices over the last 30 days.
The TTP have singled out the secular-leaning PPP and its main coalition partners, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, which controls Pakistan's biggest city of Karachi, and the Awami National Party in the northwest.
More than 600,000 security personnel, including tens of thousands of soldiers, have been ordered to deploy to guard against attacks on polling day.
The notification to suspend mobile services across Sindh just ahead of the elections has been taken back, Express News reported.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had earlier issued a notice saying mobile services will remain suspended across the province from 7pm tonight till 5pm tomorrow. This decision has now been taken back.
Cellular services in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can still be suspended, however.
Mobile services have been suspended in the country in the past as a preventative security measure.
On May 6, Secretary Election Commission Ishtiaq Ahmed said, “there are chances that mobile service can be suspended (on polling day) as part of security arrangements as provinces are working on this in collaboration with federation”.
Election threats
The Tehreek-e-Taliban have stepped up their threats against the elections, warning voters to boycott polling stations to save their lives as bloody attacks targeted party offices over the last 30 days.
The TTP have singled out the secular-leaning PPP and its main coalition partners, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, which controls Pakistan's biggest city of Karachi, and the Awami National Party in the northwest.
More than 600,000 security personnel, including tens of thousands of soldiers, have been ordered to deploy to guard against attacks on polling day.