IT Minister Bashes his Government for Internet and Social Media Blackout

Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin-ul-Haque distanced his ministry from blockage saying that they were not “taken into confidence”. Speaking about the recent internet blackout, he revealed that mobile internet service was suspended without taking the IT Minister in confidence. Since 2017 Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is not under the Ministry of IT.

He added that the PTA has been working as an independent organisation.

IT Minister Bashes his Government for Internet and Social Media Blackout

The minister said that the blackout of social media websites or blocking of the internet was not the solution to any problem. He added that the use of VPN to access blocked sites was not the solution to the problem and people needed to be broadminded.

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He also suggested that “Internet can be blocked in some specific areas,” as an alternate solution. He added that the blocking of internet services resulted in losses of billion of rupees for the IT sector.

After the arrest of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan the mobile internet service was shut down on Tuesday. Imran Khan’s arrest erupted in violent protests across the country, threatening law, order, and security.

Following directives from the Ministry of Interior, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority restricted access to mobile internet services and various social media websites including YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook for Pakistani citizens.

The shutdown of internet service had a significant impact on mobile companies and the freelancing industry within the country.

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