IHC seeks reply from IT ministry regarding 3G, 4G in tribal areas

Abdullah Malik

ISLAMABAD: The Islam-abad High Court (IHC) Tuesday ordered Ministry of Information Technology to submit written report in a case seeking provision of 3G and 4G internet service in tribal areas for students’ online classes. 

Chief Justice Athar Minallah conducted hearing on a petition filed by a student Syed Muhammad through his lawyer Abdul Raheem Wazir Advocate regarding the above matter.

At the outset of hearing, the petitioner’s counsel pleaded that thousands of students had been confined to their houses in wake of coronavirus outbreak, adding that the students could lose one year education due to the lack of internet in the regions. He said that his client had given applications to the relevant forums but nothing availed.

The chief justice asked that whether the internet service didn’t available in tribal areas since beginning or it had been suspended recently. He remarked that it was a matter related to the basic human rights guaranteed by the constitution.

The lawyer said that students of seven districts of former FATA region were facing problems for last ten-days. All students except this area had online classes facility, he pleaded, adding that his client and other students could face education loss due to lack of internet service.

The counsel argued in court that we already appealed to the CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gov-ernor of the province but no one is listening to these students whom access to education already halted due to the suspension of internet service.

The court ordered the IT ministry to submit a written reply against the petition till April 20. It said  that internet facility was the basic right of citizen, adding that  Article 19 of the Constitution protect the right of freedom of expression to the citizens.

The court also ordered to restore 4G internet service in Parachinar.