Case Update Status

Internet facilty restored on Jan 5, 2023

Summary of Case

"Internet services are suspended in Gwadar, the port city of Balochistan since December 25th, 2022 due to protests and sit-ins there for over the last one month against “illegal fishing through trawlers” and “unnecessary check posts”. On January 4, Arab News reported that internet services had been restored after 10 days quoting provincial information secretary Hamza Shafqat who said that 3G and 4G services were restored after the city had returned to normalcy and the law and order situation was brought under control. Speaking to PPF, Zareef Baloch, an investigative journalism fellow at PPF, said that internet services in the area had been suspended since December 25 due to which journalists were facing issues in sending their news reports to the organizations they work for. Gwadar Press Club (GPC) President Suleman Hashim said that suspension of internet services was an extreme level of censorship. “Citizens of the city and the country are being deprived of the information regarding the current situation of the city,” he added. GPC General Secretary Shareef Ibrahim added that the suspension of cellular networks had cut off the city from other parts of the country and journalists and bloggers can’t report on the actual situation of the area. Amnesty International South Asia said that the internet shutdown “must be reversed immediately”.“Such disruptions are neither necessary nor proportionate, and inhibits the ability of the people of Gwadar to communicate, access information, seek safety and work,” Amnesty added."

Category of Incident

Censorship

ICCS Status

ICCS Divisions: 0803-Acts related to freedom of expression or control of expression

ICCS Group: 08039-Other acts related to freedom of expression or control of expression

ICCS Class: N/A

ICCS Crime: Acts related to freedom of expression or control of expression

Reported By

Express Tribune

Date of incident

25

Month

December

Year

2022

Name of affected person

Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Other affected persons

Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Name of affected organization

Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Other affected organizations

Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Action by

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA)

City

Gwadar

Province

Balochistan

Designation

Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Professional category

Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Age of victim

Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Marital Status

Compensation Details

Amount of compensation announced by government: Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Date of compensation announcement by government: Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Date of compensation paid by government: Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Amount of compensation announced by others: Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Date of compensation announced by others: Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Date compensation paid by others: Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

FIR Details

Was FIR registered ?: No

Court Details

Was case investigated ?: Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Court where case was presented: Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Name of prosecuting lawyer: Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Date of first court hearing:

Date of last court hearing:

Status of court case: Not applicable as internet service was suspended due to security issues.

Journalist Union Status

PFUJ

Condemned

APNS

N/A

CPNE

N/A

PBA

N/A

Media Source Status

Media reports:

Condemn Status

Colleague of victim

Speaking to PPF, Zareef Baloch, an investigative journalism fellow at PPF, said that internet services in the area had been suspended since December 25 due to which journalists were facing issues in sending their news reports to the organizations they work for.

Employer organization

Not applicable.

Press Club Status

Press club 1: "Gwadar Press Club (GPC) President Suleman Hashim said that suspension of internet services was an extreme level of censorship. “Citizens of the city and the country are being deprived of the information regarding the current situation of the city,” he added. GPC General Secretary Shareef Ibrahim added that the suspension of cellular networks had cut off the city from other parts of the country and journalists and bloggers can’t report on the actual situation of the area."

Press club 2: N/A

Press club 3: N/A