Centre takes strict security measures for Chehlum
Cell phone, internet and GPS services remain suspended in several cities
ISLAMABAD: Mobile phone, internet and GPRS services remained suspended on Tuesday in almost all big cities and towns of Pakistan except Islamabad.
The decision was taken by the federal government on the request of provincial governments in view of security concerns on the occasion of the Chehlum of Imam Hussain, the ministry of interior said in a statement.
It said the ministry received applications from home departments of all the four provinces and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). It said the duration of the suspension of these services would be according to the timings of mourning processions in different cities.
The cities and towns in Punjab where these restrictions will be effective are Lahore, Nankana Sahib, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Sargodha, Khushab, Bhakkar, Toba Tek Singh, Multan, Sahiwal, Okara, Pakpattan and Rahim Yar Khan.
In Sindh, such cities are Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Khairpur, Jacobabad and Shikarpur. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, they are Nowshera, Kohat, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and Abbottabad. Quetta in Balochistan is the city where these services will remain suspended. In AJK, these services will remained suspended in Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Haveli, Mirpur and Kotli.
All successive governments have suspended the mobile phone service on such occasions.
The practice was introduced a few years back when the terrorists starting hitting different cities of Pakistan.
However, now the situation has tremendously improved. But still the government continues to take precautionary measures.