We, the residents, families, students, businesses, workers, and communities of District Ghizer, Gilgit-Baltistan, are calling for immediate action to address the severe and recurring instability of mobile network services, particularly SCOM and Zong.

Reliable communication is not a luxury. In a remote and geographically vulnerable district like Ghizer, it can be a matter of safety, emergency response, livelihood, and staying connected with our families.

SCOM: Extremely Unreliable Voice Service
SCOM users regularly experience dropped calls, failed connections, difficulty dialing numbers, and unstable voice service.

This is not simply an issue of inconvenience.

In one recent experience, I attempted to call the same number 26 times within approximately 11 minutes, yet I was only able to have around one minute of actual conversation because of repeated connection failures and dropped calls.

When people have to repeatedly redial simply to communicate for a few minutes, the service cannot reasonably be considered reliable.

Residents should not have to stand outside, search for a particular location, repeatedly restart their phones, or make dozens of attempts simply to complete an ordinary phone call.

Zong: Unannounced Network Shutdowns
Zong users in Ghizer also experience periods where mobile network services become unavailable for hours and, in some cases, for extended periods over multiple days, without adequate advance public communication.

The lack of reliable information makes the situation even more difficult.

Residents need to know:

Why the network is unavailable.
How long the disruption is expected to last.
Whether the outage is planned or caused by an emergency.
What alternative communication arrangements are available.
Ghizer Is Particularly Vulnerable During Emergencies
This issue becomes far more serious because of Ghizer's geographical vulnerability and the risk of floods, landslides, extreme weather, and other emergencies.

During an emergency, communication can be the difference between receiving help and being isolated.

Families need to contact loved ones.

People need to check whether relatives are safe.

Emergency responders need communication.

Patients may need assistance.

Communities need to receive warnings and coordinate evacuation or rescue efforts.

When mobile networks are unavailable or unreliable during critical periods, residents can effectively become isolated from the outside world.

Disconnecting vulnerable communities from their families and emergency contacts during extreme conditions is unacceptable.

What We Are Demanding
We call upon SCOM, Zong, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and relevant authorities in Gilgit-Baltistan to take concrete action.

1. Reliable Network Service
SCOM and Zong must improve network reliability and minimize recurring call failures, dropped calls, outages, and prolonged service interruptions in District Ghizer.

2. Advance Notice of Planned Shutdowns
Any planned network suspension should be publicly announced in advance, with the reason, expected duration, and affected areas clearly communicated.

3. Emergency Communication
Essential communication services should remain available during floods, extreme weather, and other emergencies wherever technically and safely possible.

4. Transparent Outage Information
Residents deserve accurate information about major outages, including their cause and expected restoration time.

5. Improved Infrastructure
Network operators should invest in adequate towers, backup power, transmission links, redundancy, and other infrastructure necessary to provide dependable service in remote areas.

6. Accountability
PTA and other relevant authorities should monitor the quality of mobile services in District Ghizer and ensure that operators meet appropriate service standards.

Our Message
We are not asking for special treatment.

We are asking for the basic right to communicate reliably.

People living in remote and vulnerable regions should not receive an inferior standard of connectivity simply because of their location.

For residents of Ghizer, a mobile phone is not merely a device for entertainment or social media. It is a connection to family, work, education, healthcare, emergency assistance, and the outside world.

We urge SCOM, Zong, PTA, and the relevant authorities to listen to the residents of Ghizer and take immediate, measurable steps toward reliable mobile connectivity.

Sign this petition if you believe the people of District Ghizer deserve reliable communication — especially when they need it most.

 

To everyone from Ghizer and everyone who cares about our community:

Please take a moment to sign this petition and forward it to your family, friends, WhatsApp groups, Facebook groups, and other communities.

This issue affects all of us. Reliable communication becomes especially important when floods, landslides, extreme weather, or other emergencies put our communities at risk.

Your signature matters. Your share matters.

Please sign, forward, and encourage others to do the same so that our collective voice reaches SCOM, Zong, PTA, and the relevant authorities.

Don’t just complain about the network — let’s collectively demand better service.

#Ghizer #SCOM #Zong #ReliableNetwork #GilgitBaltistan #PTA #InternetConnectivity #MobileNetwork