The Punjab government has reportedly requested authorities to downgrade mobile and internet services from September 27, as security preparations intensify ahead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s planned march toward Islamabad. According to Geo News, the request forms part of a wider security arrangement being put in place ahead of the protest, with the reported measure aimed at reducing mobile and internet speeds rather than suspending services outright. Authorities have not yet publicly detailed which areas would be affected or how long the restrictions could remain in place, leaving telecom operators and the public without clarity on the scope of the slowdown.
The move connects to a broader pattern of network throttling deployed by Pakistani authorities during politically sensitive events, typically justified as a means of curbing the rapid spread of misinformation and limiting real-time coordination among large crowds. Such measures have repeatedly drawn criticism from digital rights advocates and everyday users who depend on stable connectivity for work, communication, and access to essential services, particularly when restrictions extend across entire provinces rather than localized protest zones.
Alongside the proposed slowdown, Punjab has also sought the deployment of Rangers in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, and Mianwali to assist law enforcement agencies with maintaining security, a request that underscores how central these districts are to the routes leading toward Islamabad. Additional police personnel are being deployed in tandem, with checkpoints and route monitoring expected to intensify as the province prepares for what security planners anticipate could be a significant show of turnout on September 27.
Whether the internet slowdown request translates into a formal PTA directive, and how telecom operators respond once it does, remains to be seen, as no official notification had been issued at the time of writing. ProPakistani will continue to track developments and provide updates as further details emerge on the scope, duration, and affected regions of the proposed restrictions.
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