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The politics and people behind Balochistan, Pakistan’s internet shutdowns

August 18, 2025

Pakistan has intensified internet shutdowns in Balochistan province, most recently ordering a province-wide mobile internet suspension across all 36 districts from August 6-31, 2025. The region has experienced repeated connectivity disruptions, with the country seeing 18 deliberate shutdowns in 2024 alone that lasted 9,735 hours and caused an estimated $1. 62 billion in economic losses.

Who is affected

  • Residents of Balochistan province, particularly in all 36 districts under the current blackout
  • Students like Amir Naeem who miss online classes and exams
  • Small businesses and merchants who lose income without digital banking access
  • Journalists who cannot verify or file stories in real time
  • Humanitarian workers whose operations are harder to coordinate
  • Climate activists like Nafeesa Baloch who miss grant deadlines and cannot communicate with international partners
  • People in remote areas like Kolwah, Jhaoo, the Rakhshan belt, and Bolan who already face daily blackout-like conditions
  • Lower-income residents who cannot afford Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) landline service

What action is being taken

  • The Balochistan government is implementing a province-wide suspension of mobile internet across all 36 districts until August 31, 2025
  • A concurrent ban on inter-city and interprovincial travel from 5 pm to 5 am is being enforced
  • The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority is imposing localized restrictions citing "national security" concerns
  • Military forces are controlling mobile network schedules in areas like Kolwah (Awaran district), where networks operate only from 9 am to 9 pm
  • UN human rights experts, including Irene Khan, are warning about the impact of repeated internet blackouts on freedom of information and civic space

Why it matters

  • These shutdowns have caused an estimated $1.62 billion in economic losses in 2024 alone
  • The disruptions cut off the last available public platform for marginalized voices in an already isolated region
  • The blackouts prevent essential daily activities including education, commerce, journalism, and humanitarian work
  • The shutdowns appear ineffective at their stated security purpose, as major militant attacks continue to occur in areas with little or no internet
  • The recurring pattern of disconnection deepens distrust between Balochistan residents and the Pakistani state
  • The repeated blackouts risk turning temporary isolation into permanent digital exclusion for the province
  • The situation violates citizens' rights to information, transparency, accountability, and political participation

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Global Voices