No govt instructions to block internet during polls, says Pakistan Telecom Authority
Karachi (PTI): The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has said that internet services will remain functional on Thursday as the people are voting to elect a new government.
The PTA in a statement on Wednesday said it had not yet received any instructions from the government to shut internet and that services would work without any interruption on Thursday.
Pakistanis on Thursday began voting in the general elections to elect a new government to rule the cash-strapped country.
The polling started at 8.00 AM and will continue without any break till 5.00 PM. A countrywide public holiday has been declared to enable a total of 128,585,760 registered voters to cast their votes.
The authority's statement came a day after caretaker Interior Minister Gohar Ejaz on Tuesday hinted at the possible suspension of internet services in case of security issues in any area on election day.
Many non-governmental organisations, including Amnesty International, had called for uninterrupted internet access across the country during the polling process.
Ejaz had said the government would consider suspending the internet service on February 8 only if it received a request from a district or province owing to the security situation.
In an open letter, Amnesty International urged the authorities to guarantee uninterrupted access to the internet and digital communication platforms for everyone across Pakistan throughout the polling process.
"We, the undersigned organisations and members of the #KeepItOn coalition - a global network of over 300 organisations from 105 countries working to end internet shutdowns - appeal to you, Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, to publicly commit to ensuring that the people of Pakistan have unfettered access to the internet, social media platforms, and all other communication channels throughout the upcoming general election on February 8, 2024," the London-based NGO said.
It noted as people prepared to vote, the authorities must adopt and prioritise measures that advanced rights by enabling unrestricted access to information and avenues for freedom of expression, assembly, and association - both offline and online.
In a related development, the Sindh High Court on Tuesday, yet again, directed the federal authorities concerned to ensure the provision of smooth, uninterrupted internet service and access to social media platforms unless the relevant laws were invoked till February 21.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
