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Pakistan cuts off phone and internet services on election day


Pakistan has temporarily suspended mobile phone services across the country to combat any "possible threats," a top ministry said, as the South Asian Pakistan has temporarily suspended mobile phone services across the country.

In a statement, Pakistan’s interior ministry said the move was prompted by recent incidents of terrorism in the country. Though it’s not unprecedented for a nation to switch off the mobile networks on key days — governments in countries including neighbor nation India, Uganda and Ethiopia in Africa have also made similar moves in the past — a nationwide block is still very uncommon. Free speech advocates have criticized governments in the past for what they see as overuse of mobile network shutdowns, arguing access to information and communication should be maintained even more during political votes.

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