New Delhi: Social media platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram have faced massive disruptions as Pakistan’s political tensions escalate. Internet restrictions have been reported in several areas as former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, resumes its protest march towards Islamabad. The Pakistani government had earlier cautioned about possible internet curbs, particularly in regions where PTI’s demonstrations were planned.
The cause of the outage remains unclear and no official statement has been released which has raised donuts about the timing. While the government had previously confirmed plans to disrupt internet services in areas with security concerns. There has been no mention of social media platforms being affected, according to Geo News.
According to Downdetector.com, a platform that monitors real-time outages and issues on websites and social media, users in Pakistan are experiencing difficulties accessing WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms. The disruptions, however, are not limited to social media and the internet services in general have also been affected.
What prompted Imran Khan to call for protests in Pakistan?
The 72-year-old jailed former premier issued a “final call” on November 13 for nationwide protests on November 24, denouncing what he termed as the stolen mandate, the unjust arrests of people and the passage of the 26th amendment, which he said has strengthened a “dictatorial regime”.
Led by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, the marchers began their journey from the devastated province on Sunday with the mission to reach the capital but faced obstacles on the roads.
The authorities had blocked the highways by placing shipping containers but the protestors accompanied by lifting equipment and other heavy machines worked their way by removing hurdles, but it skittled their speed and plans. After a stopover for the night at Haro in the Attock district of Punjab, the party resumed its journey with the mission to reach the capital by midday today.
Pakistani government enforces Section 144
The government already banned rallies by imposing Section 144, a colonial-era law used to outlaw political activities, as a high-level delegation from Belarus was visiting Pakistan. A high-level delegation from Belarus, led by Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzinkov and including eight ministers and 43 business leaders, arrived in Islamabad on Sunday ahead of President Alexander Lukashenko’s official visit on Monday.
The president would hold discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the country’s Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir. It is expected that important agreements would be signed to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries during the visit.
Govt Slams PTI Protests as Leaders Push for Imran’s Release
While Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar in a statement questioned PTI’s repeated calls for strikes, terming them a “well-thought out conspiracy” against the country. He regretted that the party always seemed to call for a protest at a time when global figures were visiting Pakistan, whether it be the Chinese premier’s visit, the SCO summit or other occasions.
But it all fell on deaf ears as the PTI leader stuck with the demand while saying that only Imran Khan called off the protest. “We must advance and not turn back until Imran Khan is released,” CM Gandapur said in an address to the crowd on Sunday.
Bibi was also with the crowd against early announcements that she would not join the protest. She on Sunday also briefly addressed the supporters on the way from her car, showing frustration with the delay. “Time is being wasted,” she said, using a microphone. “Stay in your vehicles so we can reach there quickly.” (With PTI Inputs)
