Mobile and Internet Cuts Expected in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Attock on 26 and 27 September
Mobile and internet cuts may hit Rawalpindi, Attock and Islamabad on 26 and 27 September. See the areas named, what PTA says and which universities went online.
Mobile phone and internet services may be cut in parts of Rawalpindi and across Attock district from Sunday 27 September 2026. The Punjab Home Department has asked the federal government to jam 2G, 3G and 4G signals at named places, according to news reports. Some reports also say Islamabad will lose service on 26 and 27 September. No federal order had been published when we checked at 12:15 PKT on Friday 25 September.
So treat this as likely, not certain. The request is real enough to plan around. But a provincial request is not an order, and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the telecom regulator, had posted nothing about it.
The measures come ahead of a march on Islamabad that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has called for Sunday 27 September, to demand the release of its founder, Imran Khan. Reports say some party leaders want to move it to between 5 and 10 October. No change had been announced when we checked.
Below: the places named, what is confirmed and what is only reported, the universities that have gone online, the FPSC interviews that moved, and what still works if your signal drops.
Punjab asked for mobile cuts in Rawalpindi and Attock from 27 September
The Punjab Home Department asked the Ministry of Interior to suspend 2G, 3G and 4G mobile services at named places in Rawalpindi division from 27 September, and to slow services across Attock district, according to news reports. The request was dated 21 September.
The places named sit mostly along the M-1 motorway and the GT Road west of Islamabad. That is the same belt where the M-1 and GT Road have been closed since the night of 23 September.
| Area | What was asked for | From when |
|---|---|---|
| Brahma Bahtar to the M-1 | 2G, 3G and 4G jammed | 27 September |
| Taxila City and Wah Saddar | 2G, 3G and 4G jammed | 27 September |
| Ganjo, Ahata, Thallian and Chakri | 2G, 3G and 4G jammed | 27 September |
| Other places in Rawalpindi | Not named in reports | Timing "to be sent separately" |
| Attock district | Mobile and internet slowed down | 27 September onwards |
Reports differ on the start time. One early report said midnight on 27 September. A later one said 9am. No report gives an end time. The request was sent after the Central Police Office in Punjab raised law and order concerns, and the Home Department said "protecting the lives and property of the public" was its priority, according to the reports.
Two words matter here. "Jamming" means blocking the signal, so the phone shows no service. "Downgrading" means slowing data, for example forcing phones onto 2G, so calls may work but apps barely load.
No federal order had been published by 25 September
A telecom shutdown needs a federal decision, which PTA then carries out. Neither the Interior Ministry nor PTA had published an order when we checked on 25 September. PTA officials said on 23 September they had received no instruction, according to reports.
We opened PTA's press release list at 12:15 PKT on 25 September. Its newest release was dated 18 September and was about a quality of service survey. Nothing mentioned a suspension. The Interior Ministry website refused our connection, and the Punjab Home Department website did not load.
The law gives security powers over telecoms to the centre, not the provinces. Section 54 of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act 1996, as published by PTA, says the Federal Government has "preference and priority" in the telecom system "for the defense or security of Pakistan". A request from Punjab has to go through Islamabad.
On 23 September, PTA officials said the authority would act only on formal instructions from the federal government, and the IT ministry said the Interior Ministry had issued none, according to reports. Nothing public has changed that since. But a missing notice on Friday does not mean service is safe on Sunday, and internet shutdowns in Pakistan have come around protests before.
Reports differ on Islamabad and on 26 September
Several reports say mobile and internet services will be suspended in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Attock on both 26 and 27 September. The Punjab request described in other reports covers only named places in Rawalpindi and Attock, starting 27 September. We could not confirm either version.
The difference matters if you live in Islamabad. Islamabad Capital Territory is not part of Punjab, so a Punjab Home Department letter cannot cover it. Any cut in Islamabad would need its own federal decision. We found no document for one.
Saturday 26 September is the other open question. The reports that give specific places all start on 27 September. The 26 September date appears only in reports that give no place list and name no official.
One report on 23 September also said services in the area were working normally at the time, with no official notice issued. That was still the position on PTA's own pages on 25 September.
Several universities in the twin cities moved classes online
We read notices from two universities. International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) moved all Friday 25 September classes online. PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi moved all degree classes online from 24 September until further orders. Several others have done the same, according to reports.
The IIUI circular, No. IIUI/ACAD/2026-6160 dated 24 September, cites "the prevailing situation in the twin cities" and moves classes to Google Classroom on the normal timetable. The PMAS-Arid homepage notice cites "the prevailing law and order situation in Rawalpindi and Islamabad".
These universities are reported to have moved online, but we did not find the notice on their own websites:
- COMSATS University: Islamabad, Wah and Attock campuses, until further instructions.
- HITEC University Taxila: until further instructions.
- Air University: Islamabad and Kamra campuses, plus Fazaia Medical College, from Friday to Sunday.
- Bahria University: E-8 and H-11 campuses in Islamabad, 25 to 27 September.
- Others: the Khyber Medical University and Hamdard University campuses in Islamabad.
Allama Iqbal Open University staff at its main campus and twin cities regional centre are reported to be working from home on 25 and 28 September. Online classes need internet, though. If the cuts go ahead, students in Taxila, Wah and Attock may not be able to join, so ask your department now how attendance will be counted.
FPSC postponed interviews and the CSS psychological assessment
The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) has postponed interviews set for 24, 25 and 28 September, and the CSS 2026 psychological assessment in Islamabad on 25 and 28 September. It cited road closures and the law and order situation. New dates will be announced later.
We read all three notices on fpsc.gov.pk on 25 September.
- Notice of 23 September: interviews on 24 and 25 September under Interview Programmes 120/2026 and 122/2026 (Lahore), 121/2026 and 123/2026 (Islamabad) and 124/2026 (Peshawar) are postponed.
- Notice of 24 September, CE wing: the CSS CE-2026 psychological assessment "scheduled on 25.9.2026 and 28.9.2026 at Islamabad (Phase-I) stands postponed".
- Notice of 24 September, Programme Management Directorate: interviews on Monday 28 September under Programmes 125/2026, 127/2026 and 128/2026 (Islamabad), 126/2026 (Lahore) and 129/2026 (Karachi) are postponed. These were for Vice Principal (BS-18) posts in the former Federal Government schools.
The 28 September notice says candidates "will be informed about the rescheduled dates" later. Notice that Karachi is on the list too. The reason given is the law and order situation and road closures, not the internet.
You can prepare for a mobile cut before Sunday
If you live or work in Taxila, Wah, Attock or along the M-1, get ready on Saturday. Download what you need, save key numbers, and find a Wi-Fi connection. The reported requests name mobile networks only. None mentions home broadband or fibre.
A jammed signal stops calls and SMS as well as data, because 2G carries voice. That includes calls to 1122 and 15 from a mobile phone. A landline or a Wi-Fi calling app on home broadband may still get through. Bank apps, JazzCash, Easypaisa and ride-hailing apps all need data, so it helps to know what still works when mobile internet is down before Sunday.
Before Sunday, it is worth doing a few simple things:
- Download bank statements, e-tickets, boarding passes and any exam or interview letter.
- Write down the phone numbers of family, your doctor and your office on paper.
- Tell family where you will be on 27 September and agree a time to call.
- Keep some cash. Some card machines in shops run on mobile data.
If you plan to travel, remember that Punjab's Section 144 order banning gatherings of five or more runs until 5 October, according to reports. A slow connection is also easy to confirm: you can check your internet speed and compare it with a normal day.
Common questions
Will mobile internet be off in Islamabad on 26 and 27 September?
It is not confirmed. Some reports say so, but the Punjab request covers only places in Rawalpindi and Attock. No federal order for Islamabad had been published by 25 September.
Which areas of Rawalpindi are named?
Reports name Brahma Bahtar to the M-1, Ganjo, Ahata, Taxila City, Wah Saddar, Thallian and Chakri. Other places in Rawalpindi are to be named separately.
Has PTA confirmed the suspension?
No. PTA had published nothing about it by 12:15 PKT on 25 September. Its officials said on 23 September it would act only on federal instructions.
Will home Wi-Fi and fibre internet work?
Probably. The reported requests cover 2G, 3G and 4G mobile networks. None mentions fixed broadband, but no official has said so either.
Are universities in Rawalpindi and Islamabad closed?
Several have moved classes online rather than closing. IIUI and PMAS-Arid have posted notices. COMSATS, HITEC, Air and Bahria universities are reported to have done the same.
When will FPSC hold the postponed interviews?
FPSC has not said. Its notices say new dates will be announced later, so check fpsc.gov.pk for updates.
Last checked and sources
Last checked at 12:15 PKT on Friday 25 September 2026. The Punjab request, its place list, dates and the 9am or midnight start time come from news reports, which differ on whether Islamabad and 26 September are included. We did not see the request itself. The Interior Ministry site refused our connection and the Punjab Home Department site did not load. The PTA press release list showed no suspension notice, newest item 18 September. Section 54 is quoted from the PTA Act 1996 as published on PTA's website. We read the three postponement notices on the FPSC website, the IIUI circular of 24 September on iiu.edu.pk, and the PMAS-Arid notice on uaar.edu.pk. Other university moves and the possible PTI date change are reported only.
About the author
Author
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
