Govt issued no instructions for internet shutdown on election day: Solangi

ISLAMABAD (APP): Caretaker Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi said on Monday that the government had not issued any guidelines to shut down internet and cellular phone services on the day of the general election.

Speaking on a private news channel, the minister stated that local administrations have the authority to decide whether to shut down internet in a specific area if it faced any law and order issues.

He emphasized that although extraordinary situations may require extraordinary measures, no such situation had been reported so far in any area.

Regarding the government’s efforts to combat fake news and propaganda on social media, the minister mentioned that relevant institutions had been issuing clarifications to debunk any such circulating news in various media outlets.

“Security is a serious issue,” he added, citing an increase in activities of different terrorist groups, especially after the establishment of an interim government in Kabul. He further noted that around 1,500 incidents of terrorism were reported last year alone in the country.

The minister shared that police officers were martyred in a terrorist attack on a police station in Dera Ismail Khan, but emphasized that such acts failed to deter the resolve of law enforcement agencies fighting terrorism in the country. He also highlighted that 24 terrorists were recently killed in the Mach area of Balochistan.

Refuting any potential delay in the scheduled February 8 elections, the minister pointed out that elections in Pakistan have historically taken place under harsh and difficult conditions.

Addressing another query, the minister clarified that the caretaker government had no favourites in the elections and considered the statement made by the Pakistan People’s Party chairman on this matter as “unfortunate.”

He reiterated that the caretaker government was ensuring a level-playing field for all political parties and that state media was providing equal coverage to all of them. Solangi stated that efforts were being made to ensure equal treatment for all political parties. However, he noted that complaining is part of Pakistan’s political culture.

The PML-N complained about an uneven playing field in Sindh, while the PPP in Punjab and Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also had grievances. Solangi believed that the matter of a level-playing field was being politicized for personal gain.

He expressed confidence that the people of Pakistan would turn out in large numbers on election day to vote for their preferred parties.

In response to another question, Solangi mentioned that there had been a significant increase in the number of registered voters for the 2024 general elections, with an additional 2 million women voters.

He also noted that the submission and acceptance rate of nomination papers for the 2024 elections was higher than in previous elections.

Solangi highlighted the establishment of a helpline to address complaints from local and foreign journalists and observers.

He urged citizens to exercise their right to vote on election day as it is stipulated in the Constitution that the country will be governed by its elected representatives. Solangi expressed regret over persistent propaganda about election delays and reaffirmed the caretaker government’s commitment to conducting the elections on time.

He stated that the caretaker government would be dissolved after the election of the Leader of the House in the National Assembly and the oath-taking of the newly elected prime minister.

Regarding another query, Solangi mentioned that the caretaker government would provide a “handover note” to the next elected government detailing its achievements and failures.