The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday instructed the counsel for the federal government to come prepared with an official response to a petition challenging the erratic internet service plaguing the country.
Justice Shakeel Ahmed presided over the case filed on Thursday by Nadeem Sarwar, who raised concerns about widespread internet disruptions. The petitioner named the federal government, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), among other respondents.
The petition argues that the internet and social media apps have been shut down nationwide without any notice or explanation, severely impacting businesses and all facets of daily life. It asserts that cutting off internet access is a violation of basic rights.
The petition requests that the federal government’s decision to slow down the internet be declared null and void and that immediate orders be issued to fully restore internet services across the country.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the LHC reserved its verdict.
As the hearing resumed, state counsel Rana Nauman appeared before the court, requesting more time to submit a detailed report on the internet outages.
“We will have to ask the PTA why the internet is slow and what has happened,” the counsel contended.
Justice Ahmed observed, “This is a matter of public interest, and your seriousness is questionable, given that you lack adequate information about this issue.”
The judge stated he would give his verdict soon.