Islamabad: Mobile phone services have been partially suspended in Karachi and other parts of Pakistan's Sindh province in view of strict security arrangements for Muharram processions.
According to reports, the Sindh government had requested the federal government to suspend cellular services in Karachi from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday (8th Muharram), especially in areas near the routes of processions, Geo News reported.
Internet services were also reported to have been disrupted in some areas of Karachi.
Cellular services will also remain partially suspended in major cities countrywide on Saturday and Sunday (9th and 10th Muharram).
The Sindh Home Department had requested blockage of cellular services in Karachi, Hyderabad, Shaheed, Benazirabad, Khairpur, Sukkur, Larkana, Shikarpur and Jacobabad.
According to the letter, the law enforcement agencies had requested suspension of GSM services "as there are apprehensions of coordination of criminal activity by miscreants through the use of cellular phones/Internet during Muharram-related majlis (religious gathering) and processions".
Although the Sindh government had requested the suspension of mobile services along the routes of rallies, Karachi residents said on social media that they were not receiving signals even in the areas which were not in the path of procession routes.
Tight security arrangements were in place for Muharram processions with a large number of police and paramilitary troops being deployed, officials said.
Pillion riding was also banned across Sindh from Friday till Sunday.