Urdu version of this story here | Translated to English by Hija Kamran
November 16, 2020 – The Tehreek-i-Labbaik leader Khadim Rizvi, along with his supporters, moved with the anti-France and blasphemy rally “Tahaffuz Namoos-e-Risalat” from Liaquat Bagh to Faizabad in Rawalpindi. In the wake of this large movement, the Government of Punjab issued notification to suspend mobile network services in Rawalpindi, however, residents in Islamabad also reported network blockage.
According to the notification issued on November 14, on the request of Punjab police, the government of Punjab has ordered suspension of telecom services in the entire city of Rawalpindi along with the districts of Attock, Chakwal and Jehlum on November 15 from 4 AM till 9 PM. Whereas, it is not clear where the notification to suspend networks in Islamabad came from.
Despite the notification stating network suspension to be in place on November 15, at the time of writing this report on November 16, the services have not been restored.
Maulana Khadim Rizvi announced the Tahaffuz Namoos-e-Risalat March on November 15, and the authorities put unusual security protocols in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Various roads were blocked with containers resulting in inconvenience for the residents of twin cities.
