Pakistan partially restores mobile service after polling ends

Islamabad, Feb 8, (dpa/GNA) – Pakistani authorities partially restored mobile services, that were suspended across the country amid fears of violence during the vote on Thursday.

“Mobile services are being restored in the country,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.

Telecommunications and mobile internet services remained suspended for more than 12 hours.

Rights group Amnesty International, termed the decision to “suspend telecommunications and mobile internet services on an election day, as a blunt attack on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”

Several political parties and rights activists complained about the suspension saying, it would harm voter turnout.

After polls closed, Interior Minister Gohar Ejaz said there were isolated incidents of violence, but the overall situation remained under control.

At least five security personnel – four police officers and a soldier – were killed in the north-western region, when their vehicle was attacked with a hand grenade, local media reported.

GNA