Govt Can Suspend Cellular Services Under Special Circumstances; Rules Supreme Court

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday ruled that the government could suspend cellular services under special circumstances

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Aug, 2020 ) :The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday ruled that the government could suspend cellular services under special circumstances.

A division bench of the apex court headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial on April 22, set aside the IHC judgment which struck down the policy directive dated December 26, 2009 published by the Ministry of Information Technology (IT and Telecom Division) under Section 8(2)(c) of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-Organisation) Act 1996.

The court in its judgment stated that the government could suspend mobile phone services in the specific situations.The PTA suspends mobile phone services on the specific occasions to ensure public order remains undisrupted.

In the instant case, the apex court decided that the government could suspend cellular services under special circumstances and ordered the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and IT ministry to come up with relevant standard operating procedures and procedures to do so.