QUETTA: The Balochistan government has partially suspended cellphone and internet services in Quetta due to security concerns in the region, following a strike called by the Jamiat Ulema-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) over allegations of “rigging” in the re-elections for the Balochistan Assembly constituency PB-45 Quetta VIII.
Details of Suspension
The suspension began in the early hours of Monday and is set to continue until Tuesday, January 7. The provincial government has not provided further details on the specific security concerns prompting the measure. The disruption in communication services has caused significant inconvenience to residents, with reports of a shutter-down strike across Balochistan amid ongoing protests led by JUI-F.
This comes in the wake of a series of violent incidents in Balochistan, including a recent bomb explosion in Turbat that killed four people and injured several others, mostly members of the Frontier Corps (FC). The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack, which targeted a convoy of civilian and security vehicles. The government condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the victims’ families.
Balochistan has seen a surge in militant activity, contributing to heightened tensions and instability in the region. The violence is part of a broader wave of attacks in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), which has resulted in over 1,600 casualties.
