The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has clarified that it has not yet received any formal instructions to suspend or downgrade mobile and internet services in Rawalpindi or Attock. The PTA internet update comes after reports that the Punjab government had asked for telecom restrictions in the region from September 27 due to an expected law and order situation.
PTA officials told ProPakistani that the authority will take action only after receiving formal instructions from the competent federal authorities. The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has also confirmed that the Ministry of Interior has not issued any direction to the PTA for suspending or downgrading telecom services so far.
This means mobile networks and internet services in Rawalpindi, Attock and nearby areas are currently working normally, and no final decision has been made about September 27. Users should therefore avoid relying on unverified social media posts claiming that a shutdown has already been approved.
What the Punjab Government Has Requested
The Punjab Home Department had asked the Ministry of Interior to suspend 2G, 3G and 4G services at specified locations in Rawalpindi on September 27, starting at 9:00 am. The request was dated September 21 and was forwarded after a communication from the Central Police Office, Punjab, which cited the expected law and order situation in the region.
The requested locations include the route from Barahma Bhatar to the M-1 motorway, along with Gango, Ahata, Taxila City, Wah Saddar, Thallian and Chakri. The provincial government said the timings for other specified locations inside Rawalpindi would be communicated separately. Full details of the proposed areas are available in our report on the internet suspension request for Rawalpindi and Attock.
Punjab has also requested that mobile and internet services across the whole of Attock district be downgraded from September 27 onwards. Attock is an important route linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Punjab and Islamabad, and security there has already been tightened.
However, PTA officials explained that a request from a provincial government does not, by itself, count as a final order. Under the current system, the Ministry of Interior must first approve the request and then formally direct the PTA, which in turn instructs telecom operators to implement the restrictions in the specified areas.
Internet shutdowns in Pakistan have in the past caused heavy losses to e-commerce platforms, ride-hailing services and freelancers, which is why telecom industry groups often urge authorities to keep restrictions limited to the smallest possible area and time.
Will the Internet Go Down on September 27?
As of September 23, no final decision had been taken on suspending or downgrading mobile and internet services in the Rawalpindi region on September 27. The situation could change in the coming days depending on the security assessment of the federal government.
If the Ministry of Interior approves the request, telecom companies are expected to inform their customers through SMS alerts before the restrictions take effect. Until then, residents are advised to follow official statements from the PTA and the Ministry of Interior. Businesses, freelancers and students in the area may still want to plan ahead by completing important online tasks early and arranging backup connections such as fixed-line broadband, which is usually not affected by mobile data suspensions.
