As authorities seek to avoid any untoward situation on the occasion of Ashura (Muharram 9 and 10 — July 28 and 29), mobile services have been blocked in several parts of Pakistan.
In Islamabad, the Ministry of Interior has asked the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to suspend the mobile services not only on Muharram 9 and 10, but 11 as well.
On Muharram 9, mobile service will remain suspended from 1pm to 10 pm in sectors G6 and G7. The service will be blocked from 6pm-6am on the same day in Sector 10-I and adjoining areas.
On Muharram 11, mobile phone service will be suspended in Shah Allah Ditta from 2am to 7pm. The services will also remain blocked from 12pm-7pm in the areas around Noorpur Shahan/Bari Imam.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's 14 districts, mobile services will remain suspended on Muharram 9 and 10, sources in the provincial home department told Geo News.
The areas where the services will remain suspended include Sadar, Pishtakhara, Hassan Ghari, inner city Peshawar, Mardan, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur, Kohat, Hangu, and Bannu. They will remain blocked until 10pm.
The local authorities in Balochistan's capital of Quetta have decided to suspend mobile services on Muharram 9 and 10 to avoid untoward situations.
The additional chief secretary added that the provincial government has already placed a ban on pillion riding in Quetta division from Muharram 1 to Muharram 12 (i.e., the restriction will remain in place till July 31).
The PTA had also announced that mobile services in some areas of Karachi will remain partially suspended until Muharram 10 (July 29). But they remained blocked on Muharram 8 as well and are expected to remain suspended on Muharram 9.
In Lahore and Sindh, pillion riding has been banned on Ashura.
Moreover, landline and cable net services will continue uninterrupted.
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