South Waziristan Demands Internet Restoration Amid Protests

The residents are resolute in their demand for the restoration of their constitutional rights and are determined not to be deprived any longer.

Ghulam Akbar Marwat

3G and 4G internet services have remained suspended in Shakai Tehsil of South Waziristan for the past month, leading to growing unrest. A sit-in protest has entered its second day, with residents expressing their dissatisfaction over the prolonged internet shutdown.

Imran Mukhlis Wazir, the General Secretary of the Pakistan People's Party in Lower Waziristan, highlighted the challenges faced by the community due to the absence of 3G and 4G internet connectivity in Shakai Tehsil. He emphasized that this situation has severely impacted local businesses, disrupting economic activities.

Furthermore, a significant portion of the population, mainly laborers working abroad, has been cut off from their families and loved ones due to the lack of internet access. In this digital age, thousands of residents of South Waziristan's Tehsil Shakai are grappling with the absence of essential internet services.

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Addressing the participants of the sit-in, Chairman Zar Kalam Wazir recounted past assurances from IGFC South that internet services would be reinstated in Waziristan. Unfortunately, despite these assurances, the restoration of internet services has not been realized, leading to mounting frustration among the residents.

Malik Kalam ud Din, expressing his sentiments, likened the treatment received by the government to that of a stepmother. He demanded the rightful restoration of internet services by legal and constitutional rights, stressing the urgency of the situation.

Notably, discussions were held with top security officials in Shakai last week to address the internet shutdown issue. While assurances were given regarding the restoration of internet services, concrete implementation has yet to take place. As a response, the area has witnessed a complete shutdown, with a significant number of people participating in the ongoing sit-in protest.

President Inam Jan Wazir asserted that access to Internet services is a fundamental legal and constitutional right. He called upon the government to take immediate action to restore 3G and 4G internet connectivity in Tehsil Shakai. The residents are resolute in their demand for the restoration of their constitutional rights and are determined not to be deprived any longer.