Mobile services suspended as PTI march nears Peshawar

Mobile phone and cellular internet services were suspended across several parts of Peshawar on Thursday as a PTI protest march moved closer to the provincial capital.

The disruption began late Wednesday night and continued into Thursday, affecting residents in large areas of the city. The suspension came as the PTI long march, which started from Lakki Marwat on October 4, was expected to reach Peshawar as part of its journey towards Islamabad.

A Pakistan Telecommunication Authority official confirmed that the temporary suspension was ordered following directions from the federal interior ministry. The official said the measure was taken as a security precaution in view of the protest activity.

The provincial government did not immediately issue a public statement explaining the suspension. Officials from the provincial home and information departments were also not immediately available for comment.

The march had reached the Khyber district by Wednesday evening after protesters travelled through several areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. PTI has been holding the march to demand the release of party founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.

The mobile service disruption also affected communication between residents and schools. Several private educational institutions in Peshawar remained closed on Thursday, while government schools, colleges and universities continued normal activities.

Some parents said they only learned about the private school closures after taking their children to school. In several cases, students were sent back after arriving at locked school gates.

However, the Private Schools Regulatory Authority said it had not ordered private schools to close. The authority directed school administrations to keep their institutions open and continue academic activities unless formal instructions were issued.

The regulator warned that schools closing without official permission could face disciplinary action under the relevant rules.

The PTI march began in Lakki Marwat on October 4. Protesters then travelled towards Kohat before reaching Mattani on the outskirts of Peshawar. The party has previously announced Islamabad as the final destination of the march, although its route and schedule beyond Peshawar had not been formally announced.