A ‘vocal attack’ on free speech: Amnesty for Pakistan’s internet suspension

Mobile services in Pakistan suspended after polls began due to “deteriorating security situation”.

Islamabad:

Amnesty International on Thursday called Pakistan’s decision to suspend mobile internet services throughout the day ahead of the general election “a blunt attack on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”

In a statement, the South Asia office of the UK-based international human rights watchdog urged Pakistani authorities to “urgently lift sweeping restrictions on internet access.”

“The decision to suspend telecommunications and mobile internet services on election day is a blunt attack on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” said Livia Saccardi, Amnesty International’s interim deputy director for South Asia.

She said it was reckless to prevent people from accessing information after “devastating bomb blasts” and a “harsh crackdown on opposition” ahead of the election as people headed to polling stations. Sarkardi said the “unreasonable restrictions” on the dissemination of information violated people’s human rights at this critical moment in Pakistan.

“Comprehensive lockdowns have impacted people’s mobility, livelihoods and ability to survive difficult times, further eroding their trust in authorities.

Amnesty International calls on the Pakistani authorities to adopt a rights-respecting approach and urgently lift all blanket restrictions on internet access to enable people to obtain timely information and report any election-related matters throughout the voting process,” she added.

Mobile services in Pakistan were suspended shortly after voting began due to “the deteriorating security situation”, a day after two terror attacks killed at least 30 people.

Four policemen on election duty were killed in a terror attack in Dera Ismail Khan on Thursday. A security official was also killed when gunmen opened fire on soldiers in a tank area in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region.

Pakistan on Wednesday dismissed concerns from a United Nations human rights body over violence and fundamental democratic freedoms ahead of the country’s elections.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights had earlier expressed concern about the violence ahead of the election. “We condemn all acts of violence against political parties and candidates and urge authorities to uphold the fundamental freedoms required for an inclusive and meaningful democratic process,” spokesperson Liz Trossell said in a statement.

However, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch refuted this claim, saying that Pakistan upholds the rule of law and protects human rights and fundamental freedoms guaranteed by its laws and constitution.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)