Balochistan, KP impose mobile curbs for Muharram security

QUETTA: Authorities in Balochistan temporarily suspended mobile phone and internet services across Quetta on Tuesday as part of heightened security arrangements for 7th Muharram processions, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa finalised a province-wide Ashura security plan that includes partial and complete mobile service restrictions in selected areas.

In Quetta, the seventh Muharram procession was taken out under strict security, with mourners following traditional routes before the gathering concluded safely at Mariabad. In the Balochistan Home Department, the shutdown of cellular and mobile data services was adopted as a precautionary measure in response to security alerts and to safeguard participants in the religious events.

The disruption affected most parts of the provincial capital, temporarily cutting residents off from cellular communication and mobile internet access. Officials said the suspension was directly tied to security protocols for the mourning processions and that services would be restored gradually after the main processions ended and law enforcement agencies issued clearance.

Security was also tightened on the ground in Quetta, where police and Frontier Corps personnel were deployed heavily at key entry and exit points of the city. Security officials monitored the procession route to prevent any untoward incident during the observances.

The temporary outage created communication difficulties for residents and businesses, but provincial authorities maintained that public safety remained the foremost consideration during the sensitive days of Muharram.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ashura plan

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the provincial government has completed a comprehensive security strategy for 9th and 10th Muharram. According to security officials, mobile phone services will be fully suspended in some locations, while other sensitive areas will face partial restrictions as part of efforts to preserve law and order during Ashura observances.

Officials have classified 400 Imambargahs across the province as sensitive or highly sensitive. They have also placed 286 processions in the highly sensitive category, while 190 processions have been marked sensitive.

The restrictions in selected parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, like the suspension in Quetta, are being implemented as a security measure during Muharram gatherings.