Quetta, August 21, 2025: The Balochistan High Court has ordered the immediate restoration of mobile internet services in Quetta, ending a two-week suspension that had caused widespread disruption for residents, businesses, and students. Following the court’s directive, mobile internet services began to resume in the provincial capital, while other districts, including Dalbandin, Pishin, Chaman, and Taftan, are expected to have connectivity restored within two hours, according to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

The ruling came during the hearing of a constitutional petition filed against the suspension of internet services. The case was presided over by Chief Justice Rozi Baloch and Justice Sardar Ahmed Halimi, who questioned the provincial government on the rationale for a province-wide suspension. The bench noted that security threats, cited by the government as the reason for the shutdown, were limited to specific areas and not applicable to the entire province.

Mobile internet services had been suspended on August 6 due to security concerns linked with upcoming religious processions and gatherings. Authorities had earlier stated that the suspension would remain in place until August 31. However, this blanket ban was challenged in court, with petitioners arguing that the decision violated citizens’ fundamental rights, particularly access to education, business, and communication.

During the proceedings, the Advocate General of Balochistan, the Additional Attorney General, and senior officials from the provincial Home Department appeared before the court. The Advocate General defended the government’s move, stating that the suspension was necessary to maintain law and order during the sensitive period of Chehlum.

The court, however, pressed the officials with critical questions: “Are security threats present across the entire province, or are they limited to certain districts?” In response, both the Advocate General and the Additional Chief Secretary conceded that the security concerns were specific to certain areas rather than province-wide.

Taking note of this admission, the court ruled that internet services must be restored in areas where no direct threat existed. Consequently, Quetta’s residents were among the first to experience connectivity after nearly half a month of blackout.

This is not the first time the High Court has intervened. On August 15, the Balochistan High Court had already issued directives for the restoration of internet services and asked the government to review its decision to keep mobile data suspended until August 31. Despite that, the government had continued with the shutdown, leading to fresh petitions and hearings.

In addition to ordering internet restoration, the High Court also directed the provincial government to immediately withdraw the notification that had suspended public transport services, which had caused further hardship for citizens.

The next hearing on the constitutional petition has been scheduled for August 25, during which the court is expected to review compliance with its orders as well as further arguments on whether province-wide communication bans can be justified under the Constitution.

For residents of Quetta, the restoration of mobile internet comes as a major relief. Students preparing for exams, businesses relying on digital transactions, and families separated by distance had all been severely impacted by the suspension. Social media platforms had been flooded with complaints over the last two weeks, with many urging the government to adopt targeted security measures instead of imposing blanket bans.

Civil society activists also welcomed the court’s order, calling it a step towards protecting constitutional rights in the digital age. They argued that while security is important, cutting off internet access disrupts essential services and hampers economic activity, especially in a province like Balochistan where connectivity challenges are already prevalent.

The PTA has confirmed that services in other affected districts will be fully restored within hours, though security monitoring will continue in sensitive areas.

With the High Court’s intervention, attention is now turning to whether the provincial government will design alternative, localized strategies for maintaining security without resorting to complete internet shutdowns — a practice that has increasingly faced criticism both domestically and internationally.