National shutdown
mobile Internet
As the country held its provincial, national, and presidential elections today, Pakistan authorities ordered mobile Internet and phone services to be suspended nationwide to “maintain law and order”. The shutdown began around 02:00 UTC and connectivity was restored after the election starting around 15:00 UTC. Read our Pakistan Election 2024 report on the Pulse Blog for more details.
- Total Duration 13 hours
Pakistan
- Population
- 251,269,164
Freedom House rates Internet freedom as Not Free
Local impact
As the country held its provincial, national, and presidential elections today, Pakistan authorities ordered mobile Internet and phone services to be suspended nationwide to “maintain law and order”. The shutdown began around 02:00 UTC and connectivity was restored after the election starting around 15:00 UTC. Read our Pakistan Election 2024 report on the Pulse Blog for more details.
Related documentation
Other supporting information
Cloudflare Radar shows Internet traffic for mobile operators Mobilink (Jazz), Telenor Pakistan, and CMPak (Zong) dropping significantly on 8 February 2024 between 1:45 and 2:30 UTC and began returning around 15:00 UTC.
Social media
Disruptions to #mobile #Internet connectivity in #Pakistan have been observed on @telenorpakistan, @Zongers, and @jazzpk starting at 0200 UTC, despite assurances from @PTAofficialpk that mobile services would remain active on Election Day, February 8.https://t.co/pDxw6qjMmE pic.twitter.com/cfyn3Efy3H
— Cloudflare Radar (@CloudflareRadar) February 8, 2024
We and our partners in the #KeepItOn coalition have written to the Pakistan authorities earlier this week asking them to ensure open and secure internet access throughout the 2024 electionshttps://t.co/ueLIPqJCte
— Beh Lih Yi 馬麗怡 (@behlihyi) February 8, 2024
No phone service to know your polling station and family number, No Internet to use google maps to find the polling station, a wait of two hour outside and so many more hurdles but had to make Pakistan win. Pakistan Zindabad!! pic.twitter.com/wmGeTIHQll
— Mustafa Zahid (@Mustafology) February 8, 2024
We’re a digital first, digital only news platform, a startup in Pakistan. What are we supposed to do when all mobile and internet services are closed in Pakistan? What are we supposed to do when the WiFi is barely working? What? @TheCurrentPK #Elections2024 pic.twitter.com/dThdVfZbOy
— Marium Chaudhry (@MariumCh) February 8, 2024