By Staff Reporters
ISLAMABAD: As millions of Pakistanis cast their ballots in a tense and closely monitored general election on Thursday, the government imposed a sweeping blackout of mobile and internet services across the country, citing security concerns.
The Interior Ministry said the decision was taken to maintain law and order” situation and to deal with potential threats.
“It has been decided to temporarily suspend the mobile service across the country,” a ministry spokesperson said in a statement.
But the move drew criticism from internet watchdogs and civil society groups, who said it violated digital rights and could undermine the credibility of the election.
Netblocks, an internet monitor, said internet blackouts were in effect in “multiple regions of Pakistan in addition to mobile network disruptions.”
“The incident comes on election day and follows months of digital censorship targeting the political opposition,” Netblocks said on Twitter.
At least 26 people were killed in twin bomb blasts outside candidates’ offices in Balochistan province on Wednesday, in the latest of a series of attacks that have marred the election campaign. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Election Commission of Pakistan, which oversees the conduct of the polls, said it had no role in the suspension of the services and would not intervene to restore them.
The commission said its system did not rely on the internet and that the results would be transmitted through other means.
The shutdown affected the ability of voters, polling staff, observers, and journalists to access information, communicate, and report on the election process.
In Islamabad, the capital, voters complained that they could not receive information about their polling stations through the commission’s SMS service, which was also disrupted by the mobile shutdown.
In Karachi, the largest city and a key battleground, polling staff said they faced communication issues due to the network outage. In Lahore, the second-largest city and a stronghold of the jailed Imran Khan, the commission’s monitoring system and complaint cell were also affected by the shutdown.
Services also remained suspended in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh provinces, where several districts and cities faced partial or complete suspension of internet and mobile services.
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