Internet Shutdown Deepens Crisis in Azad Kashmir

Mobile, internet, and telephone services have been suspended across Azad Kashmir as authorities imposed a sweeping blackout ahead of the September 29 strike.

Telecom companies confirmed complete disruption of voice, data, and broadband lines across major districts, including Muzaffarabad, leaving residents disconnected from essential communication and services.

The suspension has left families unable to contact loved ones, with relatives outside the region voicing concerns on social media about their isolation.

Residents reported that even VPN services failed to bypass restrictions, while signal strength dropped to zero in several districts, cutting off every channel.

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Daily life has been severely disrupted, with freelancers unable to meet deadlines, shops reverting to cash, and students missing critical remote classes online.

Local businesses reported temporary closures, while ATM queues lengthened as people scrambled for cash in the absence of digital transaction facilities.

Officials defended the blackout, claiming it would prevent mass protest coordination, but critics warned it punishes ordinary citizens instead of curbing violent agitators.

Talks between the AJK government and the Joint Awami Action Committee collapsed earlier this week, prompting troop deployment and enforcement of communication restrictions.

The blackout adds to wider connectivity disruptions across Pakistan in recent weeks, which critics say undermine economic activity and erode fundamental communication freedoms.