It noted that that access to internet was a fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution and it was the duty of the state to ensure that the residents of tribal districts were not kept deprived of it. Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that tribal districts were not Kashmir and the provision of all basic human rights to its residents must be ensured. The court also granted time to the interior ministry to submit a detailed report citing the reasons behind the absence of 3G and 4G services in the tribal districts. The court issued the direction on a filed by a student against the lack of internet services in the tribal areas for holding online classes amid the coronavirus pandemic. The deputy attorney general was granted a week’s time to submit the reply after he requested the court to be granted two weeks.

Source: The Express Tribune April 28, 2020 09:11 UTC