Poor services in courts: IHC seeks responses from mobile cos, PTA

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) sought responses from mobile companies and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) regarding poor mobile phone network services in district courts and the High Courts.

A single bench of Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar on Thursday heard a public interest petition filed by the Judicial Activism Panel.

The IHC bench sought replies from all mobile phone companies, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), secretary interior and chief commissioner Islamabad in the case of poor mobile phone network services in district courts as well as in high courts.

The IHC order said that according to the petitioner mobile phone signals in courts were either very weak or were completely non-existent due to which litigants and lawyers had to face difficulties in communicating with each other.

This has slowed down the pace of work in courts and was causing unnecessary delays in the provision of justice.

The bench observed that the points raised in the petition were worth pondering over, therefore issued the notices to the respondents.

Azhar Siddique advocate on behalf of the Judicial Activism Panel appeared before the Court and submitted that an important question of public interest has been raised in the petition that the mobile network system within the premises of the superior judiciary and district courts is not functioning properly. Mobile network signals in the courts are very weak, or there is no service at all.

He added that the lawyers and litigants have to face severe difficulties and immediate contact cannot be made during court proceedings, while access to online legal information and court-related matters is not possible. He further said that the work of the courts is slowing down and there is unnecessary delay in the delivery of justice.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026