Political and social activists have questioned the lack of access to the internet in many regions of Waziristan “under the guise of security concerns”.
ہمیں بلیک ہول میں رکھا گیا ہے، آج کی 5G کے دور میں انٹرنیٹ کی سہولت سے محروم ہیں، اور اسکے ذمہ دار فوج ہے، آخر کب تک سیکورٹی کے نام پر ہمیں بنیادی سہولت سے محروم رکھا جائے گا۔ کیا انٹرنیٹ کی سہولت پر ہمارے بچوں کا حق نہیں بنتا۔ #Restore3g4gInWaziristan pic.twitter.com/3GsCLCI5sG
— Alam Zaib Mahsud (@AlamZaibPK) February 10, 2023
Addressing a gathering, Pashtun Tahafuz Movement’s Alam Zaib Mahsud demanded the restoration of internet services in Waziristan.
Mahsud claimed that the security forces are responsible for depriving the region of basic necessities like the internet in this “day and age when 5G is available” to the rest of the world.
“How long will they deprive us of basic necessities under the guise of security?” he questioned.
“We have been living in the ‘stone ages’ since we can’t connect with the world,” he said while adding this was a violation of the Constitution.
انشاء اللہ امید ہے کہ آج رات 12 بجے میں تحصیل برمل میں انٹرنیٹ سروسز بحال کر دیا جائے گا #restore3g4ginwaziristan pic.twitter.com/2WCRJJLGTO
— Maula Noor Danish (@MaulaWazeer) February 10, 2023
People in Waziristan have been protesting against the non-availability of the internet in the region for many years. The region was heavily impacted by the war on terrorism.
In 2020, the Kyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution calling on the federal authorities to “provide Internet on an emergency basis” to the parts of the province.
