Mobile phone, internet services suspended in Quetta ahead of PDM show

The Balochistan government suspended mobile phone service and internet facility in Quetta on Sunday morning on the pretext of security concerns ahead of the opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) power show, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The Balochistan government’s move has put questions on the speeches of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as both have planned to address the Quetta rally via video link.

Balochistan government Spokesman Liaquat Shahwani said the mobile phone service has been suspended from Saturday night.

سیکیورٹی خدشات کے پیش نظرموبائل سروس معطل کیاگیا۔اس پہ سیاست نہ کی جائے،اس سےقبل بھی محروم الحرام ودیگر غیر سیاسی اجتماعات کےدوران بھی متعدد بارموبائل سروس معطل کیاجاتارہاہے
موٹرسائیکل ڈبل سواری پرپابندی عائدکی گئی ۔#PDM قیادت کارکنوں کو تعاون کی تاکیدکریں
سیاست ذمہ داری کیساتھ

— Liaquat Shahwani (@LiaquatShahwani) October 25, 2020

Addressing a news conference in Quetta, he said there is a blanket ban on show of any kind of arms. The spokesperson said PDM leadership should ask their workers for cooperation.

The Balochistan government has also banned pillion riding in the provincial capital. In addition, the roads leading to the venue are also closed and heavy contingents of police have deployed.

Earlier, the Balochistan chief secretary directed the political parties holding the meeting to take the National Counter Terrorism Authority’s (NACTA) alert seriously. 

Chief Secretary Capt (retd) Fazeel Asghar also directed officials to enforce Section 144 in the provincial capital owing to the security of central PDM leadership.

Fazeel chaired a high-level meeting in Quetta to review the security plan for the opposition leaders as earlier the leadership was urged to defer the gathering due to security reasons in the provincial capital.

Not afraid of any of the steps taken by the provincial government, PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz said the government is revealing its own incompetency.

Talking to a private TV channel, she said “If we didn’t hold this protest against the government the people wouldn’t see them what they truly are.”

Maryam declared that PDM's Quetta rally is going to be grand.

Separately, PML-N spokesperson Maryam Aurangzeb congratulated Shehbaz Sharif and criticized the PTI government on the inauguration of the Orange Line Metro project in Lahore.

“Imran Khan’s absurd politics has wasted four years of this public importance project due to which the project cost was also increased,” she added.

The PML-N Spokesperson reminded the public that Imran Khan had approached the court against the same project which they are inaugurating now.

She alleged that amid the political revenge, the NAB-Niazi nexus tried to make controversial these public interest projects.

آج بھی نواز شریف، شہباز شریف کے منصوبوں پہ اپنی تختیاں لگا رہے ہیں ۔ دس سال بعد بھی اورنج ٹرین کا افتتاح کریں گے تو ہر طرف سے شکریہ شہباز شریف کی گونج ہی سنائی دے گی۔

— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) October 24, 2020

Maryam Aurenzaib said: “When they did not find a single penny of corruption in these projects, they are inaugurating it now.”