Pakistan announces suspension of phone services in Islamabad during OIC summit
Dec 17, 2021
Islamabad [Pakistan], December 17 : Pakistan's Ministry of Interior Affairs has announced the suspension of phone services in Islamabad during the extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Phone services will remain suspended for three days -- December 17-19 -- as the OIC's Extraordinary Session of Foreign Ministers will start on Friday, reported Geo News citing the Interior Ministry as saying.
The OIC session will focus on ways to mobilise support for providing adequate food, medicine, and shelter to millions of people in Afghanistan who are in dire need after the fall of Kabul in mid-August, the Pakistani publication said.
Mobile phone services will be blocked from Islamabad Airport to the Red Zone. Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has also received a letter in this regard from the Interior Ministry.
The management of the Parliament House has also been handed over to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for eight days to host the extraordinary session, reported The News International.
However, Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed has said that the final decision would be made later over the matter as consultations were still underway.
He said that the timings and dates for the suspension of mobile services will be finalised on Friday. Pakistan has also invited the Taliban to the summit.
