The Peshawar High Court (PHC) Tuesday sought reply from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and cellular mobile operators (CMOs) over disruption of internet services during online classes in the province.
Appearing before a division bench of the PHC comprising Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Muhammad Nasir Mehfooz on behalf of the petitioner, a pro bono lawyer Shabeena Noor contended that in wake of the present third wave of coronavirus the government has decided to initiate online classes but the internet services remain disrupted during the online sessions.
Making Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and cellular mobile operators as respondents in the matter, Advocate High Court Shabeena Noor sought the court’s restraining order against interrupting the internet facility in the nook and corner of the province.
Advocate Supreme Court Noor Alam Khan also argued in the matter saying, “The education of the students is being badly affected due to frequent disruption.” He further pleaded that it is the responsibility of the PTA and mobile phone companies to ensure undisrupted services of the internet.
It is pertinent to mention that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has reopened schools in five more districts after witnessing a decline in the COVID-19 positivity rate. The educational activities are disturbed after coronavirus spread and the majority of the academic institutions are carrying out online classes.
After a preliminary hearing of the matter, the bench issued notices to the PTA and mobile phone companies seeking a reply by June 22.
The writer heads a leading news wire service ‘The Law Today Pakistan’ commonly known as TLTP. He has a special focus on news relating to superior courts adjudication, access to right of information, civil, political, social and economic rights under the approach that existing cyber regime realization ensures procedural fairness in administrative law. He can be reached at editor@tltpnews.com
