Pakistan has temporarily suspended mobile phone services across the country to combat any “possible threats,” a top ministry said, as the South Asian nation begins its national election.
In a statement, Pakistan’s interior ministry said the move was prompted by recent incidents of terrorism in the country. The internet was still accessible through wired broadband connections, local journalists posted on X.
The polls have opened in the nation and will close at 5 p.m. The interior ministry didn’t say when it will switch back on the mobile services.
Though it’s not unprecedented for a nation to switch off the mobile networks on key days — governments in countries including neighbor nation India, Uganda and Ethiopia in Africa have also made similar moves in the past — a nationwide block is still very uncommon.
Free speech advocates have criticized governments in the past for what they see as overuse of mobile network shutdowns, arguing access to information and communication should be maintained even more during political votes.
