ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced that cellular services will remain suspended in Sindh today, Monday, to maintain law and order as thousands of Shi’ite Muslims are expected to take part in mourning processions across the southern province.
With the start of the Islamic month of Muharram each year, Shi’ite Muslims across Pakistan hold gatherings and processions to pay homage to Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and his companions. These gatherings varyingly last until the day of his martyrdom, the 10th of Muharram, which is also known as the ‘Day of Ashura.’
Shi’ite Muslims also hold religious gatherings and processions in many parts of the country on the 40th day after Ashura, also known as “Chehlum,” to pay tribute to Hussain for laying down his life to uphold Islamic principles.
“It is to inform the general public that on the directions of the Ministry of Interior Government of Pakistan, voice and data services will remain suspended in Karachi and interior Sindh including Khairpur, Hyderabad Larkana, Sukkur and Shikarpur on 26 August 2024 with immediate effect,” the PTA said in a press release.
It added that the decision had been taken to maintain law and order in the province on the occasion of the Chehlum.
Every year, authorities beef up security and suspend cellular services ahead of Muharram and Chehlum processions in areas that have witnessed sectarian violence in the past. Pakistan has witnessed violent attacks targeting Shi’ite Muslims in the past that have stoked sectarian tensions in the country.
In December 2009, a suicide bomber killed 43 people in Karachi during Muharram. Three years later in 2012, 23 people were killed in another suicide attack that targeted a Muharram procession, injuring 62 others in Pakistan’s garrison city of Rawalpindi.
Pakistan suspends cellular services in Sindh ahead of mourning processions today
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Pakistan suspends cellular services in Sindh ahead of mourning processions today
- Thousands of Shiite Muslims will organize religious processions today to mark 40 days after Ashura, the martyrdom of Imam Hussain
- Pakistan Telecommunication Authority says decision to suspend cellular services taken to maintain law and order in Sindh province
Pakistan army chief says future warfare will rely on technology over battlefield maneuvers
- Asim Munir cites drones, electronic warfare and surveillance as central to future war operations
- Remarks follow Pakistan’s 2025 military conflict with India that highlighted role of technology
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief said on Thursday future conflicts would be shaped more by technology than traditional battlefield maneuvers, as the military accelerates its shift toward drone warfare, electronic systems and networked command structures, according to a statement issued by the Pakistan military.
Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, who also serves as Chief of Defense Forces, made the remarks while visiting the Bahawalpur Garrison in southern Punjab, where he observed a high-intensity field exercise focused on integrating new technologies into conventional military operations, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The exercise, titled Steadfast Resolve, involved unmanned aerial systems, advanced surveillance assets, electronic warfare capabilities and modern command-and-control mechanisms, reflecting what the military described as a move toward “technology-enabled multi-domain operations.”
“Character of war has evolved massively, with technological advancements driving the evolution, dictating huge mental transformation at all tiers,” Munir said while addressing troops, according to the ISPR statement.
“In future, technological maneuvers will replace physical maneuvers and will fundamentally alter the way offensive and defensive operations are undertaken,” he added.
Militaries worldwide are reassessing combat doctrine as drones, electronic warfare and real-time data increasingly shape outcomes on modern battlefields. In South Asia, those shifts gained renewed attention following military exchanges between Pakistan and India in May 2025, when both sides employed surveillance, electronic countermeasures and precision capabilities alongside conventional forces, underscoring the growing role of non-kinetic domains.
Munir said the Pakistan army was “embracing and absorbing technology at a rapid pace,” adding that “innovation, indigenization and adaptation shall remain fundamental” as the military prepares for future battlefield and security challenges.
The army chief also reiterated that Pakistan’s armed forces remained prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while emphasizing the need to maintain readiness as warfare increasingly expands across physical, cyber and electronic domains.
