Mobile phone services will remain partially suspended on the 9th and 10th of Muharram for security reasons in parts of Punjab.

According to the spokesperson for the Punjab Home Department, the cellular services would be suspended only in the surrounding areas of processions and Majalis.

"Mobile services will be partially suspended in Gujranwala, Narowal, Toba Tek Singh, Bhakkar, Mandi Bahauddin, Wazirabad, Rajanpur, Faisalabad, Bahawalnagar, Hafizabad, Gujrat, DG Khan and Jhang."

Muharram started on July 8 in the country, after the lunar month’s crescent was sighted. Faithful hold processions and majalis across the country in Muharram, while religious scholars address huge gatherings amid tight security, with thousands of law enforcers deployed to ensure security.

The spokesperson clarified that cellular services will not be completely suspended in any city of the province. 

The partial suspension of mobile signals will continue from 8am till 10pm during the 9th and 10th of Muharram, he added.  

The spokesperson further said that cellular network services will be suspended at 28 locations in Rawalpindi, 15 locations in Rahim Yar Khan, 11 locations in Mianwali and Bahawalpur.

Meanwhile, the services will remain suspended at 10 places in Layyah, seven places in Muzaffargarh and six places in Nankana Sahib.

The spokesperson was of the view that the cellular service would remain active in Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Sargodha, Khushab, Sialkot, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Multan, Khanewal, Lodhran, Vehari, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Okara and Chiniot.

Earlier, on the 7th of Muharram,  mobile services were partially suspended in some areas of Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Jhang, Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar.