The Superior Court of Baluchistan (BHC) on Wednesday convened a response from the Pakistan Attorney General (AGP) Mansoor Awan and the Baluchistan general lawyer (AG) Adnan Basharat regarding the closure of Internet services in the province.
Last week, it was announced that mobile data services in the province were suspended until August 31 for “security reasons.” At the same time, a closure of Internet services was also reported, since the former Baluchistan Prime Minister, Dr. Abdul Malik, expressed concern about the situation of the law and order, adding that Internet services had not been available in the province for more than a month.
A notification issued by the Department of Interior of Baluchistan on August 6 cited the “peculiar situation of law and order” in the province as a reason for the suspension.
Khair Muhammad Shaheen presented a constitutional request against the closure of the Internet, against the civil society of the Baluchistan consumer, against the Telecommunications Authority of Pakistan (PTA). A bank of two members comprised of the president of the BHC, Rozi Khan Barrech, and Judge Sardar Ahmad Halemi made a hearing on the matter today.
According to the court order, a copy of which is available with Dawn.comThe president said that the cell phone was a basic way of communication for entrepreneurs, students, educational institutions and others, but the government had suspended the mobile network and internet services throughout the province “without any plausible justification”, which negatively affected children’s education and commercial activities.
Shaen said that the indefinite suspension constituted a violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed in articles 9 (security of the person), 15 (freedom of movement, etc.), 18 (freedom of commerce, business and profession), 19-A (right to information) and 25 (equality of citizens) of the Constitution.
The petition also added that bus services between districts and interprovincials were suspended, because the public was “suffering.”
“The proposed disputes require consideration,” said the order. The Bank ordered that the respondents be issued, AGP Awan and Ag Basharat to present their answers before the next Friday hearing.
He added that in case of not doing so, the Secretaries of the Interior and the Ministries of Information Technology should appear in person on that date.
In November last year, the PTA had announced the government’s decision to suspend Internet and mobile services with immediate effect in many Baluchistan districts to guarantee public safety, following terrorist attacks in the province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
