ISLAMABAD: In an attempt to provide a foolproof security to the guests of Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) extraordinary council of the foreign ministers on Afghanistan to be held in Islamabad on December 19 is likely to turn a nightmare for the masses as the government is likely to shut down mobile service in twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, besides announcing public holiday for Islamabad on December 20 (Monday). In the name of security cover to OIC conference, the government is literally overdoing. One wonders who is suggesting shutting down of mobile service for full three days when the OIC ministerial conference was scheduled only for one day for December 19, 2021 and what for. Second, what is the purpose of announcing public holiday for Islamabad on December 20, 2021 when the guests will simply be leaving back to their home countries.
A notification issued by the government (a copy made available to NEWSMAN and DAILY DANISHWAR) suggests the Foreign Office decided in a meeting held on December 15, 2021 to announce public holiday for Islamabad on Monday. It simply means the government offices and businesses will remain closed in the federal capital for three consective days.
Meanwhile, the Interior ministry has conveyed to the cellular companies that the government was going to shut their service down in twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi for three days. Will anyone in the government look into this overdoing?. There is hardly any meed to shut down cellular service for twin cities for three days. Is it the only way to provide foolproof security to the participants of OIC conference?. Shutting down of cellular service for Islamabad and Rawalpindi will leave the entire country in disarray. In today’s world there is no concept of life without connectivity and no country in the whole world can leave its capital in disconnectivity for three days in the name of security to a conference. Not even in those countries where security issue is even more challenging than Pakistan. The shutting down of mobile service for three days would cause loss of billions of rupee to the cellular companies, besides depriving the government of its 20% income in the form of revenue.
The cellular companies annual turnover in Pakistan is over Rs 500 billion a year and around Rs 1.5 billion a day. Shutting down the service for thrèe days would cause loss of billions to the operators and the government.
The OIC conference is being organised to make the world move to help war-,torn Afghanista.
Ahead of OIC ministerial conference, Pakistan has pledged to provide all possible financial assistance to Afghanistan.
