Mobile and internet services in Quetta have been shut down for two days starting Sunday night as a precautionary measure. According to reports, they are expected to be restored by midnight on Tuesday, January 7.
JUI-F Balochistan leader Maulana Abdul Wasay stated, “The protest will continue until we get our rights.”
The service suspension is lifted because of a strike organized by the Jamiat Ulema-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in protest against alleged electoral fraud.
From previous year, Pakistan has already faced significant financial losses due to internet disruptions. In just 2024, the country lost a staggering $1.62 billion, according to Top10VPN.
This has led to the country’s ranking as the worst-affected nation globally, ahead of Myanmar and Sudan. The country experienced 18 internet shutdowns last year, which impacted 83 million users and caused heavy losses for businesses. These disruptions lasted a total of 9,735 hours.
One of the biggest financial hits came from the temporary suspension of X (formerly Twitter) in February 2024, which cost $1.34 billion in the economy. Another major disruption occurred in Balochistan during protests in July and August, which led to a loss of $11.8 million over 864 hours.
