Interior Ministry: No decision yet on banning internet services during Muharram

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has not yet taken a decision to suspend internet services during the month of Muharram, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry said on Friday.

For security reasons, the provincial governments had asked for the blocking of six social media applications for about a week during the Muharram festival, which is expected to begin on July 8.

In a statement today, the Interior Ministry spokesman said no decision had yet been made on the provincial governments’ requests and advised against paying any attention to the rumours.

The statement also clarified that there was no instruction from the Prime Minister’s Office to block the internet during the holy month.

“Neither a request from a provincial government was accepted nor rejected,” the Interior Ministry added.

The Punjab government had cited the spread of hate material and misinformation as reasons for this move. The news reported on Friday.

According to a letter from the Punjab Home Ministry, a meeting of the Cabinet Standing Committee on Law and Order has been convened to review security and administrative arrangements for Muharram.

At this meeting, it was decided to block social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram from 6 to 11 Muharram to prevent the spread of hate material and misinformation and thus avert sectarian violence.

Worshippers hold processions across the country during Muharram, while religious scholars address large crowds amid tight security. Thousands of police officers are deployed to ensure security during the month.