Balochistan Digital Crisis: Over 100 Telecom Towers Damaged, PTA Chairman

The National Assembly Standing Committee on IT and Telecom was briefed on Monday about the ongoing internet blackout in Panjgur, Balochistan, as lawmakers expressed grave concerns over digital disconnection, poor infrastructure, and escalating security threats in the province.

In a tense session, the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed the committee that the Ministry of Interior had directed a complete shutdown of internet services in Panjgur, citing security concerns. The suspension, which has left residents and businesses cut off, is just one example of a broader connectivity crisis in the region.

Internet service in Panjgur is fully suspended on the instructions of the Ministry of Interior.

-PTA Chairman

Over 100 Telecom Towers Damaged in Balochistan

According to the PTA Chairman, more than 100 telecom towers have been damaged across Balochistan, severely hampering connectivity and communications. Between July 9 and July 12, three telecom towers were reportedly destroyed, indicating a surge in sabotage or militant activity targeting digital infrastructure.

Lawmakers: “Balochistan Is Being Digitally Cut Off”

Committee members, especially those from Balochistan, issued sharp criticism of both the federal ministries and regulatory authorities. MNA Sher Ali accused the government of “shutting down every essential facility” in the province.

You’ve turned off every facility, internet, phone signals, access. How do you expect people to function?

-Sher Ali

Pullain Baloch, another committee member from the region, voiced deep concern over the security situation and its impact on everyday life.

Balochistan is effectively in a state of war. Roads from Quetta to Hub are blocked for up to six hours daily. And for six years, you have failed to improve the law and order situation.

-Pullain Baloch

Pullain Baloch also questioned the long-term strategy for telecom infrastructure, saying the constant destruction of towers and lack of system resilience had created a digital vacuum that further isolates already marginalized communities.

Technical Failures and Neglect

The committee was also briefed on ongoing technical challenges, such as malfunctioning batteries in telecom towers, inadequate maintenance, and slow restoration efforts. These issues have raised serious questions about the telecom sector’s capacity to respond to infrastructure damage, especially in conflict-prone zones.

Pullain Baloch highlighted how two Ufone and two Zong towers were specifically affected, further limiting communication in rural and border areas.

Lawmakers Call for Joint Crisis Meeting in Balochistan

In an attempt to push for solutions, MNA Shaza Fatima proposed an emergency joint session between the Ministry of Interior, the PTA, and the Ministry of IT and Telecom, to be held in Balochistan itself.

We need to bring all key stakeholders to Balochistan to assess the ground realities and find a sustainable solution.

-Minister MoITT

The committee largely backed her suggestion, with many members urging the government to shift from reactive shutdowns to proactive infrastructure protection and service continuity, especially in conflict-hit provinces.

Over 100 Telecom Towers Damaged: Digital Disconnection with Real Consequences

Balochistan has long suffered from infrastructure neglect, but the ongoing internet blackouts add a new dimension to the province’s isolation. Civil society groups and digital rights activists have repeatedly warned that shutting down communication not only affects daily life but also blocks access to education, healthcare, and emergency services.

With the country racing to embrace a digital economy, Balochistan’s digital exclusion presents a contradiction, highlighting the uneven access to basic connectivity across Pakistan.

The committee urged the PTA to submit a detailed action plan for service restoration, infrastructure protection, and long-term digital development in Balochistan. Whether that materializes into meaningful change remains to be seen, as both security concerns and bureaucratic inertia continue to hamper progress.

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