Erstwhile tribal areas' students: IHC seeks written report on online classes

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday ordered the Ministry of Information Technology to submit written report in a case seeking provision of 3G and 4G internet service in erstwhile tribal areas for students' online classes.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard a petition filed by a student, Syed Muhammad through his lawyer, Abdul Raheem Wazir, regarding provision of 3G and 4G internet service in the area.

The counsel for the petitioner pleaded before the court that thousands of students had been confined to their houses in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, adding the students could lose one academic year due to the lack of internet in the regions.

He said that his client had moved applications to the relevant forums but there was no respite from the authorities.

The chief justice asked that whether the internet service was not available in the tribal areas from the beginning or it had been suspended recently.

He remarked that it was a matter related to basic human rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

The lawyer said that students of seven districts of former Fata region were facing problems for the last 10 days.

All students except this area had online classes facility, he pleaded, adding that his client and other students could face academic loss due to lack of internet service.

The court ordered the IT ministry to submit a written reply against the petition till April 20th.

It said that internet facility was the basic right of the citizens, adding that Article 19 of the Constitution protect the right of freedom of expression to the citizens. The court also ordered to restore 4G internet service in Parachinar.