Internet services in Azad Jammu and Kashmir have remained suspended for 37 consecutive days, leaving the public, students, traders, journalists, and thousands of people dependent on online work facing severe difficulties. The shutdown began on June 6 and has continued without restoration since then, extending well past the point where the region’s High Court had directed authorities to submit formal replies in a constitutional petition challenging the suspension.
Mobile companies operating in the region, apart from the Special Communications Organization, have continued to charge users for internet packages that could not be used during the blackout. Internet users say millions of subscribers have collectively suffered financial losses running into crores of rupees, since active packages remained unused throughout the shutdown period despite payments already having been made.
According to public, social, and political circles, the extended blackout has disrupted daily life across Azad Jammu and Kashmir and has also had a significant impact on ongoing political activities and the election campaign in the region. Online campaigning by various political parties and candidates has been almost entirely suspended, while timely delivery of information to the public has also been affected, compounding the economic and social toll of the prolonged disruption.
In remote areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in particular, mobile, GPON, and DSL internet services are provided by the Special Communications Organization. The organization has not charged internet fees for the month of June from its GPON and DSL users, stating in a message sent to subscribers that charges would not be collected for the days on which service remained unavailable due to the disruption. Internet users have welcomed this step and have called on other internet providers operating in the region to follow the same approach, demanding that these companies either refund the amounts lost due to inactive packages since June 6 or adjust these amounts once internet services are fully restored.
The prolonged shutdown had already prompted legal action, with the Azad Jammu and Kashmir High Court issuing notices to the regional government, the Kashmir Council, the Special Communications Organization, and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority earlier this month, directing all respondents to submit detailed replies by July 15 in response to a constitutional petition arguing the suspension is unlawful and violates citizens’ fundamental rights. With the blackout now well past the month mark and no clear timeline for restoration, pressure continues to build on both telecom providers and regional authorities to address the mounting financial and social costs faced by residents across Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
