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Residents of Sarvekai and Barwand areas in Upper South Waziristan of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province staged a protest on Monday against the prolonged suspension of mobile network signals and internet services, demanding the immediate restoration of communication facilities, Dawn reported.
A large number of tribesmen, youth, traders, and social activists participated in the demonstration, expressing concern over the continued disruption of connectivity, which they said had severely affected daily life and essential services. The media outlet noted that mobile and internet services had remained suspended in the region for around 10 days, causing widespread inconvenience. As reported by Dawn, protesters said that in the modern digital age, communication has become a basic necessity, yet residents of Waziristan were repeatedly being deprived of these essential facilities. With Eid al-Adha approaching, they added, many people were unable to contact relatives living in other parts of the country and abroad. According to residents, the communication blackout has disrupted business activities, education, and emergency services. Students were unable to access online learning materials, while traders reported financial losses due to the lack of digital transactions and connectivity. Dawn reported that patients and people in emergencies also faced serious difficulties as they could not reach hospitals, rescue services, or relatives in time. According to the report, the suspension also affected online banking, official correspondence, and other essential digital services, further worsening daily hardships. Locals urged the district administration, mobile operators, and elected representatives to take immediate action to restore services without delay. As per sources cited in the report, a technical fault at the Srarogha Ahmadwam tower--linking all three mobile towers in the area--caused the widespread outage. Social activist Jamal Malyar Mehsud said residents of Waziristan are equal citizens and deserve the same basic facilities available elsewhere in the country. He added that repeated suspension of communication services amounts to a violation of basic rights and continues to create severe difficulties for students, patients, traders, and ordinary citizens. (ANI)
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