The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has called upon the Supreme Court to address the suspension of internet service and the blocking of social media websites during the party’s fundraising telethon on Sunday.
Telecom operators have also expressed concern over frequent internet outages “on political grounds”.
In a statement, the PTI spokesperson alleged that the suspension deprived 240 million people of their basic rights and resulted in financial losses for the country.
The spokesperson also accused those responsible for the suspension of sabotaging the electoral campaign and demanded that the Supreme Court hold them accountable. Despite the internet suspension, the PTI claims to have raised tens of millions of rupees through donations.
The Telecom Operators Association (TOA) has written a letter to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) expressing concern over the regular internet throttling “on political grounds”. The TOA requested the regulator to look into the matter and ensure that such disruptions do not occur in the future.
In addition, the TOA warned that censorship measures like those taken on Sunday will harm Pakistan’s international image and impact the government’s ICT-related growth ambitions. They also emphasized that digital connectivity is vital and that impediments in access to digital platforms are futile in the current age.