Political parties decry suspension of mobile services in Pakistan

Islamabad, Feb 8 (IANS) Political parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, have decried suspension of mobile services when the polling for the 12th general elections is underway on Thursday.

In a post on X, the PTI said: "Pakistanis, the illegitimate, fascist regime has blocked cell phone services across Pakistan on polling day. You are all requested to counter this cowardly act by removing passwords from your personal WiFi accounts, so anyone in the vicinity can have access to the internet on this extremely important day. We are all in this together & we will win together!"

Talking to mediapersons after casting his vote, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said, "This is a great injustice with the 250m population of Karachi, they have shut down mobile services."

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that mobile phone services in the country must be restored immediately, Dawn reported.

Bilawal said that he has asked the party to approach the Election Commission and the courts in this regard.

In Lahore, the ECP's monitoring system and complaint cell were also affected due to the shutdown.

However, the country's Interior ministry said that the services have been suspended due to security threats.

Commonwealth Observer Group's delegation said voting is more important than the internet.

The group's chair Goodluck Ebele Jonathan said internet is not needed in the voting process, but will have a problem in sending results.