Islamabad, 21 August 2024 (TDI): The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority while clarifying that no firewalls were being deployed, credited the countrywide slow internet to a “defective submarine cable”.
During the last few weeks internet connection speeds have encountered a significant decline. Many users have complained about constraints in receiving and sending files over the internet while connected to cellular data, specifically through the social messaging platform, WhatsApp.
Moreover, the internet service providers and the corporate sector claimed that the decline in internet speed is related to the government’s attempt to track internet traffic involving the deployment of a security firewall resulting in economic losses.
While rejecting the claims of web regulation, the federal minister for information and technology, Shaza Fatima Khwaja, commented that the government was upgrading its “web management system” to counter internet security threats.
During the session of National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information Technology, committee members critically questioned Chairman PTA, Major General (Retd.) Hafeez ur Rehman over complaints of slow internet across nation.
While responding to the questions, Chairman PTA highlighted that the reason for decline internet speed across country is because of a defective submarine cable which is expected to be restored by August 28th.
Furthermore, he also explained that it was the web management system that was being upgraded and not the firewall.
During the committee session scrutinized PTA Chairman owing frustration over the internet issue. He was enquired about the shutdown of TikTok along with Twitter which is still inaccessible and demanded a clear answer over enforcing of firewalls.
In response the Chairman PTA underlined that the institution had no role in the declining internet speed and credited it to technical faults.
Senator Mustafa Kamal expressed that due to the recent incidents international companies have been conveyed to not conduct business in Pakistan. He added that listening to PTA Chairman it seems like there is no problem.
Furthermore, the committee questioned the Chairman over ban on social media platforms, restricting the VPNs and a briefing on Islamabad and Karachi IT parks.
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The PTA chairman affirmed that he had no greater information on the issues than the committee members. Also, he hoped that the pertinent issues would be resolved by August 27th.
On being investigated about the VPNs, the Chairman expressed that VPNs were not being restricted and neither they can be.
Lastly, the Chairman of the committee underscored that regardless of efforts towards the 5G auction, the country is lacking the technology.
He urged that the government should guarantee that 5G services to be available across the country by March.
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