Web Desk: Internet services are being restored on a phased and conditional basis in Azad Jammu and Kashmir after a suspension lasting nearly three months, according to a notification issued by the region’s Home Department.
The restoration follows an announcement by newly elected AJK Prime Minister Barrister Iftikhar Gilani and takes effect from Aug. 31.
Under the new arrangement, some districts will receive full broadband and mobile data services, while access in other areas will initially be restricted to educational institutions and banks.
According to a Home Department communication dated Aug. 30 and addressed to Pakistan’s Interior Ministry, the restoration covers DSL, 3G and 4G services in designated areas.
In the Muzaffarabad division, broadband and mobile data services have been fully restored across Upper and Lower Neelam, according to the notification.
However, residents in Muzaffarabad district and Jhelum Valley will continue to face restrictions, with internet access limited to schools, colleges, universities and banks.
Leepa Valley, which falls within Jhelum Valley, is an exception. DSL and mobile data services will be fully available there, the notification said.
Internet access will remain completely suspended in Rawalakot and Sudhanoti districts in the Poonch division.
In Bagh district, DSL connectivity will be available only to educational institutions and banks within the urban limits of Bagh city and Dhirkot city.
By contrast, all internet services have been restored without restrictions in Haveli Kahuta, according to the government notification.
The Mirpur division has also received broader restoration.
DSL services have been reinstated across Bhimber and Mirpur districts, according to the notification.
Kotli will have more limited access. Educational institutions and banks will receive DSL services across most of the district, except in the areas of Sehnsa, Sarsawa, Balouch and Tatta Pani, where restrictions remain in place.
The government has attached strict conditions to the limited connectivity being provided to educational institutions and banks.
Institutions placed on the approved whitelist must submit written affidavits through their heads to the relevant government secretaries and the State Bank of Pakistan’s chief manager.
The undertakings require institutions to guarantee that their internet connections will not be used for activities, messaging or conduct deemed harmful to public order, state interests or national security.
The prolonged suspension had affected students, freelancers, businesses, banking services and residents seeking to maintain contact with people outside the region.
The restrictions also disrupted online education and digital work, while businesses dependent on internet connectivity faced difficulties conducting routine operations.
The latest move provides some relief, although access remains uneven across the territory.
The selective restoration indicates that authorities continue to weigh connectivity against security concerns in parts of AJK.
The continued suspension in Rawalakot and Sudhanoti, alongside restrictions in other areas, suggests that some locations remain subject to tighter security assessments.
At the same time, the phased restoration could ease pressure from residents and businesses that have called for the return of uninterrupted internet access.
The AJK government now faces the challenge of balancing security requirements with growing dependence on digital connectivity for education, employment, commerce and public services.
For residents in areas still under restrictions, however, the restoration remains only a partial return to normality.
Read more:
