Centre to decide on resuming internet services in merged districts

The Islamabad High Court has sent a case on granting internet access to students in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s merged districts to the federal cabinet.

“Access to internet is one of the basic rights of the people,” said Chief Justice Athar Minallah, adding that the State is responsible for providing people their basic rights.

He said the case is being heard for some time now yet no decision has been made.

The interior ministry said it can’t provide this facility because of security reasons, PTA lawyer Munawwar Iqbal told the court. We have written another letter to it saying that the PTA is ready to provide the service now, he said.

The court said the federal cabinet should make a decision and summoned a report on February 4.

The interior ministry had placed the ban in 2016.

A student, Syed Muhammad, had filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court challenging the ban. The petitioner said that thousands of students are not being able to take online classes because there are no 3G or 4G services in the former tribal areas. Many students are missing out on their education because of this, the petition added.