QUETTA: The Baloch­is­tan High Court (BHC) on Wednesday ordered At­­torney General for Pakis­tan (AGP) Mansoor Awan and Balochistan Advocate General Adnan Basharat to file their replies on the shutdown of internet services in the province.

A two-member BHC bench comprising Chief Justice Rozi Khan Barrech and Justice Sardar Ahmed Halimi issued the directive while hearing a constitutional petition filed by Khair Mohammad, chairman of the Consumer Civil Society of Baloch­is­tan, against Pakistan Tele­communication Authority and others.

A notification issued by the Balochistan Home De­­partment on August 6 cit­ed the “peculiar law and ord­er situation” in the pro­vin­­ce as a cause for the suspension.

CJ Barrech noted that the provincial government had suspended the service without providing a reasonable justification, severely affecting education, commercial activities, and other aspects of daily life despite the fact that internet access was an essential means of communication for the business community, students, educational institutions and other sectors.

Such indefinite suspension violates fundamental and economic rights guaranteed under Articles 9, 15, 18, 19, and 25 of the Constitution, the chief justice observed.

The court warned the respondents that if written responses were not submitted by Friday, the interior secretary and the IT and telecommunication secretary must appear in person on that day.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2025