4G service delay in G-B: petitioner takes telecom companies to court

ISLAMABAD: A petition has been filed in the Islamabad High Court, seeking court intervention for the launch of 4G internet services in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Gilgit-Baltistan Lawyers’ Forum President Hassan Askari Naz has taken the plea that in October 2021, In October 2021, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) issued regular licenses to telecommunication companies — Zong, Telenor and Ufone — granting them permission to commence 4G services in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Subsequently, meetings were convened, and agreements were reached between the governments of Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and the PTA, stipulating the launch of 4G internet services within one year in both regions.

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Despite the aforementioned agreements and commitments, the petitioner said, the telecommunication companies have failed to honour their obligations in Gilgit-Baltistan. While 4G internet services have been successfully launched in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the residents of Gilgit-Baltistan continue to be deprived of this essential communication service.

This neglect not only violates the rights of the people but also impedes their access to modern means of communication, hindering social, economic, and educational development in the region, he said.

The petitioner asserted that the denial of 4G internet service in Gilgit-Baltistan contravenes the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution including the right to access information and communication.