The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information Technology has demanded an explanation from Hafiz Rehman, the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), regarding the ongoing social media disruption affecting the entire country.
The committee, under the leadership of Amin ul Haq, has requested Rehman to provide a detailed account of the reasons behind the widespread disruption in social media services. Additionally, the committee has asked for an update on the nationwide internet service disruption and the reported issues with weak mobile signals. The Attorney General of Pakistan has also been summoned to attend the committee’s meeting scheduled for August 21 at the Parliament House.
Currently, internet services are down across Pakistan, with the precise cause of the disruption yet to be determined. Initial reports suggest that the issue might be linked to international traffic rather than any problem within the local network. Despite the widespread disruption, Meta platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram continue to function.
Sources within Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) have indicated that a fault in the underground submarine cable might be the root cause of the internet service disruption nationwide.
Internet Firewall
In a related development, the Pakistan government recently decided to implement a firewall across all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to control social media, a move that follows the enactment of the Defamation Law 2024 by the Punjab government. According to sources, the firewall is designed to regulate internet traffic and will be equipped with deep packet inspection (DPI) technology, which allows for monitoring data up to the seventh layer.
This firewall will enable the government to filter social media content, identify and block propaganda, and restrict access to prohibited material. ISPs will be required to install the firewall, with the government covering some of the associated costs. The firewall will also have the capability to block data at the IP level, and ISPs will be mandated to take measures to block illegal content under the terms of their licensing agreements.
