Archive · 31 Oct 2025
Balochistan Faces Internet Blackout Amidst Law and Order Concerns
Imagine the internet in Quetta, a city in Pakistan, was turned off for a whole day.
The government said they did this because they were worried about safety and order.
But this made it hard for students to go to online classes and for people who run online businesses to work.
Reporters also had trouble sending news out, making it like an 'information blackout'.
Some people felt this was unfair, like everyone was being punished when the real problem needed fixing.
This has happened before, and Pakistan has lost a lot of money because of internet shutdowns.
Balochistan government requested suspension of 3G/4G services in Quetta for 24 hours on October 31.
The stated reason for the suspension is a 'peculiar law and order situation' and 'threat perceptions'.
This suspension follows a similar outage in August, which was later ordered to be restored by the Balochistan High Court.
The internet shutdowns have caused significant disruption to education, online businesses, and media reporting in the region.
Critics accuse the government of collective punishment and highlight Pakistan's previous ranking in economic losses due to internet outages.
- Who
- The Balochistan government requested the Ministry of Interior to suspend services.
- What
- Mobile data services (3G/4G) were suspended.
- When
- October 31, for 24 hours.
- Where
- Quetta, Balochistan.
- Why
- Due to a 'peculiar law and order situation' and 'threat perceptions'.
Critics and Affected Parties
Government Justification
Reason for Suspension
Critics and Affected Parties
Accuse the government of imposing collective punishment on the public instead of improving security.
Government Justification
Cited 'peculiar law and order situation' and 'threat perceptions' as reasons for the internet shutdown.
Impact of Shutdowns
Critics and Affected Parties
Students, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and journalists face severe disruptions to their education, livelihoods, and ability to report, leading to an 'information blackout' and financial collapse.
Government Justification
The suspension is deemed necessary by authorities to address security concerns, despite potential disruptions.
Frequency and Recurrence
Critics and Affected Parties
Criticism over repeated suspensions, especially after the Balochistan High Court ordered restoration following the August outage.
Government Justification
Suspensions are carried out based on recommendations from security agencies, particularly around sensitive periods like National Day celebrations.
- Date of Suspension
- October 31
- Duration
- 24 hours
- Location
- Quetta, Balochistan
- Reason Cited
- Peculiar law and order situation, threat perceptions
- Impact
- Disruption to education, online businesses, media reporting