Punjab seeks mobile, internet services suspension

The Punjab Home Department has recommended the suspension of mobile and internet services on Sunday amid by-elections in the province.

The by-elections for five National Assembly and 16 Provincial Assembly seats are scheduled for Sunday.

A latter, addressing to the Pakistan Ministry of Interior, has been dispatched by the department for the temporary suspension of cellular services in the constituencies.

The letter has also been copied to the Chief Secretary, Inspector General of Police, and Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

The by-elections are set to take place in various constituencies including Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Sialkot, Gujrat, Sheikhupura, Jhang, Kasur, and Sahiwal.

The home department believes that the move will help prevent the spread of misinformation and rumors that can disrupt the electoral process.

Moreover, the Election Commission of Pakistan has banned media coverage of the transfer to election material to polling stations.

The spokesperson of the ECP has said that there is a ban on the coverage of delivery of polling material for the by-elections.

The coverage was banned by the DRO, as the windows of the RO office were broken during the general election.