National Assembly IT Committee Questions PTA Over Internet Disruptions & Social Media Blockades
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology, chaired by Syed Amin ul Haque, recently held a critical meeting to address the internet disruptions and social media blockades across Pakistan. The session included participation from key figures such as IT Minister Shaza Fatima, PTA Chairman Major General (Retd) Hafeez-ur-Rehman, and Opposition Leader Omar Ayub. The major topic of discussion during this meeting was uncovering the causes of internet service disruptions and holding the responsible commodities accountable.
Syed Amin ul Haque expressed his discontent at the absence of PTCL’s President, mentioning that members of the Standing Committee had also left their work to attend the session. The Chairman even directed PTCL that either the CEO or Chairman should be present at the next meeting to explain. The absence of the SCO Chief, General Omar Ahmad Shah, was also noted. The DG SCO explained that General Shah was busy with duties at GHQ. However, the Chairman highlighted that such behavior is unacceptable.
During the session, PTA Chairman Major General (Retd) Hafeez-ur-Rehman briefed the Standing Committee on the reasons behind the internet disruptions. He disclosed that a fault in one of the submarine cables, which carries 7.5 terabytes of data to Pakistan, is the major cause of the disruption. Moreover, he said that the cable is anticipated to be repaired by August 27. Other than that, he also addressed concerns about the use of VPNs during the disruption. He explained that the data not available on CDNs was accessible through VPNs.
The committee members, especially Barrister Ali Gohar, questioned whether the undersea cable faults affected other countries or just Pakistan. In response, the PTA Chairman confirmed that only Pakistan’s submarine cable was affected. Members also asked about the legality of VPN usage, to which he admitted his lack of awareness and promised to summon the relevant officer for clarification.
National Assembly’s IT Committee Grills PTA Over Internet Disruptions & Social Media Blockades in Pakistan
According to PTA Chairman Hafeez-ur-Rehman, the telecom sector suffered a loss of PKR 300 million over six days. He noted that a committee comprising CEOs of telecom companies, including Jazz and Zong, was formed to investigate the issue. Moreover, it was concluded that there was no defect at any level within their systems.
The Standing Committee also discussed the implications of Article 19, which pertains to freedom of expression. During the meeting, a discussion arose about the Web Management System (WMS), formerly known as the National Firewall System, introduced in March 2019. Opposition leader Omar Ayub raised concerns, questioning why such a system is necessary now and comparing it to practices in countries like India, Ukraine, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Uganda, where freedom of expression is reportedly less restricted. He also questioned the possible impact of the system on social media accounts and content, as well as the involvement of intelligence agencies in its operation.
The Chairman PTA responded by stating that Ayub’s concerns were a misinterpretation and underscored that the system was introduced during Ayub’s tenure. When asked if cabinet minutes were available to confirm the implementation, the Chairman PTA clarified that he did not have them. A letter from October 2020 instructed the system’s implementation. Moreover, he stated that the PTA follows government directives and will continue to do so as ordered. Over 97,000 websites containing pornography have been blocked under these directives.
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