The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued a directive, urging authorities to ensure uninterrupted internet access for all citizens leading up to the general elections scheduled for February 8. Responding to a petition filed by advocate and human rights activist Jibran Nasir, the high court ordered relevant authorities to abstain from suspending internet services and mandated them to submit their response by January 29.
The petition emphasized the frequent suspension of internet services in the country, particularly during periods of heightened political activities ahead of the upcoming elections. Recent internet outages, including disruptions on social media platforms, raised concerns. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) attributed these issues to a “technical fault” in its optic fibre network.
The court’s directive addresses growing apprehensions about the potential impact of internet disruptions on the electoral process and citizens’ access to information. This move also takes place against the backdrop of increasing concerns about the state’s relationship with media freedoms, marked by instances of censorship, vio*lence against journalists, and perceived government disregard for critical media over the past two years.
