Pakistan imposes prolonged internet blackouts amid Azad Kashmir protests

Pakistani authorities have continued to respond to protests in Azad Kashmir with prolonged internet blackouts, according to a syndicated report carried by Menafn and IANS on Tuesday. The two outlets published an identical headline stating that Pakistan 'continues to respond to PoK protests with prolonged internet blackouts.' The term 'PoK' is used by Indian media to describe the territory Pakistan administers as Azad Kashmir; this newspaper reports the facts without adopting that label.

The full text of the report was not retrievable from the syndicated feeds, and neither outlet provided additional details in the material available to the newsroom. It was not clear which parts of Azad Kashmir were affected, how long the restrictions lasted, which protests they were linked to, or how many people were impacted. No Pakistani government department or official was quoted, and the reports did not cite any statement confirming or denying the shutdowns.

The use of internet shutdowns during unrest is a documented practice in Pakistan, including in Azad Kashmir, though the reports available did not offer evidence specific to the current incident. Internet and mobile data services in Pakistan are regulated by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, which has previously ordered suspensions on security grounds, but no directive was cited in this case. The story appears to be circulating through Google News RSS as a syndicated item, and its original source could not be determined from the provided information.

The Skardu Times has not independently verified the claim. Readers should treat the details as unconfirmed until further reporting or an official response is available. The newspaper will update this story if the full report or a government statement is obtained.