Pakistani authorities have suspended mobile and internet services “in insecure areas” as supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan prepare for demonstrations.
The government and the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced this decision via the social media platform X, which is otherwise banned in Pakistan.
They did not specify the affected areas or indicate how long the suspension would remain in effect.
“Internet and mobile services will continue to operate normally in the rest of the country,” the announcements stated.
Meanwhile, the telecommunications company Nayatel is offering customers “reliable fixed-line service” as an alternative in areas where mobile phone services have been suspended.
Former Prime Minister Khan has been in prison for over a year and faces approximately 150 criminal cases.
Nevertheless, he remains popular, and his political party, Tehreek-e-Insaf, claims that the charges against him are politically motivated.
Pakistan has already sealed off the capital city of Islamabad with shipping containers, as well as major roads and highways connecting the city to the strongholds of Khan’s party in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The United States (U.S.) Embassy has issued a security warning for Americans in the capital, advising them to avoid large gatherings and cautioning that even “peaceful assemblies may turn violent.”
Last month, authorities suspended mobile phone services in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to disrupt gatherings of Khan’s supporters.
