Election day internet shutdown in Pakistan amid security concerns

As millions in Pakistan head to the polls today, the country faces unprecedented widespread mobile network blackouts. The Interior Ministry has cited recent terror incidents as the reason for the shutdown, but critics argue it impedes the democratic process.

With the previous Prime Minister, Imran Khan, ousted in a no-confidence vote nearly two years ago and imprisoned on corruption charges, the stage is set for a contentious election.

Real-time network data from NetBlocks confirmed extensive internet blackouts in multiple regions of Pakistan, alongside mobile network disruptions.

⚠️ Update: Real-time network data show that internet blackouts are now in effect in multiple regions of #Pakistan in addition to mobile network disruptions; the incident comes on election day and follows months of digital censorship targeting the political opposition 📉 pic.twitter.com/47Yja44TI9

— NetBlocks (@netblocks) February 8, 2024

This incident marks a significant precedent in the country’s approach to controlling information during critical periods and follows months of digital censorship targeting the political opposition.

TI reported on the internet shutdown in Pakistan earlier this month as the country’s leading opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) launched an online fundraising campaign ahead of the election.

The blackouts, affecting both mobile calls and data services, come in the wake of recent terror incidents — including two bomb blasts in Balochistan province that killed 28 people.

The interior ministry used such incidents to justify the internet shutdown measures as necessary for maintaining security during the election period.

“Security measures are essential to maintain the law-and-order situation and to deal with potential threats,” a spokesperson said, emphasising the government’s priority of ensuring safety over convenience on election day.

But Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, son of the late ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and a candidate in the current election, isn’t buying it. He has called for services to be restored immediately.

Mobile phone services must be restored immediately across the country have asked my party to approach both ECP and the courts for this purpose.

— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) February 8, 2024

His party, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), has approached both the election commission and the courts to challenge the shutdown.

The decision to suspend communication services, which has left Wi-Fi networks as the only functioning internet service, has been met with widespread criticism and concern from within a nation already scrutinised for its history of internet shutdowns.

The blackout has created practical obstacles, such as the inability to book taxis to reach polling stations or to coordinate with family members. Critics argue that this move hampers the democratic process, stating that voters should be facilitated, not hindered.

Similar calls have come from the Karachi branch of Jamaat-i-Islami, another party standing in the elections, as well as the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), both demanding the rapid reinstatement of communication services.

The HRCP’s statement pointed to a lack of transparency and potential impacts on voters’ rights and the transmission of election results.

In an interesting twist, Pakistani Twitter users have taken to the platform to appeal to tech mogul Elon Musk. They’re requesting access to Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet service, as a countermeasure to the government-imposed internet shutdown.

Hey @elonmusk can we have Starlink for Pakistan for JUST ONE DAY for elections on 8th February? Please 🥲

— Dr. J (@DoctorJahangir) February 6, 2024

This move underscores the growing desperation among the Pakistani people for uninterrupted access to information and communication, especially during such a pivotal moment in the country’s democratic process.

Elon Musk has been criticised in the past for not activating his Starlink satellite’s connectivity during a Ukraine attack on Russia as he sought to avoid being “complicit in a major act of war”, as reported by TI.

It remains to be seen how the mobile network and internet shutdown will affect the outcome of the election. It’s unclear when exactly the results will be announced, but they must be announced within two weeks of the election.