ISLAMABAD – Pakistan on Sunday suspended mobile and internet services in “areas of security concern” as supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan prepared for protests in the capital.
The government and the Ministry of Home Affairs posted the announcement on social media platform X, which is banned in Pakistan. They did not specify the areas, nor did they say how long the suspension would last.
“Internet and mobile services will continue as usual in the rest of the country,” the posts said. A Home Ministry spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
Meanwhile, telecom company Nytel sent out emails offering “reliable landline service” to customers in areas affected by suspended cellphone service as a solution.
Khan has been in jail for over a year and has more than 150 criminal cases against him. But he is popular and his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Or PTI says the case is politically motivated.
His supporters rely heavily on social media to demand his release and use messaging platforms such as WhatsApp to share information, including details of events.
Pakistan has already sealed off the capital Islamabad from shipping containers and closed major roads and highways connecting the city with PTI strongholds in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
According to monitoring service NetBlocks, the government is banning social media platforms and targeting VPN services. On Sunday, NetBlocks, an internet-access advocacy group, said Live Metrics showed WhatsApp backends were restricted in Pakistan, affecting media sharing on the app.
The US Embassy issued a security alert for Americans in the capital, encouraging them to avoid large gatherings and warning that “even peaceful gatherings can turn violent.”
Last month, authorities suspended cellphone service in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to thwart pro-Khan rallies. The shutdown disrupted communications and affected daily services like banking, ride-hailing and food delivery.
The latest crackdown comes on the eve of a visit by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
Pakistan has partially suspended mobile and internet services ahead of the pro-Imran Khan protests
Paramilitary soldiers with storm gears stand guard on a road barricaded with shipping containers ahead of a rally organized by supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, in Islamabad. (AP)