Falak Sher
MARDAN
Residents of Mohabatabad and surrounding areas living near Mardan Central Jail staged a protest on the main road outside the prison on Thursday, demanding that the range of mobile phone jammers be restricted to within the jail premises only.
Talking to the media Malak Shokat, Arshid Khan former union nazim, Umar Hayat and other residents of Mohabbatabad and other nearby localities, complained that the high-frequency jammers installed inside the jail have completely blocked mobile signals in their neighborhoods.
They added that the disruption in connectivity has led to several unfortunate incidents, particularly during medical emergencies when they were unable to contact rescue teams in time.
The residents argued that extending the range of the jammers beyond the jail’s boundary walls is a violation of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) regulations. “We are being denied a basic necessity communication,” one protester said.
The protesters said that it is also a violation of Supreme Court and High court decisions. They also alleged that despite the presence of jammers, drugs and mobile phones are still being used freely inside the jail by inmates, raising questions about the effectiveness and purpose of the jamming system.
The protesters urged jail authorities to limit the jammers’ coverage strictly to the jail compound to ensure that surrounding communities can regain access to mobile networks and essential communication services. Later on the protesters dispersed peacefully.
