National Assembly summons PTA chairman over nationwide social media disruption

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on IT has demanded an explanation from PTA Chairman Hafiz Rehman regarding the ongoing nationwide social media disruption.

The committee, led by Amin ul Haq, has requested Rehman to clarify the reasons behind the social media service interruptions and issues with internet connectivity and weak mobile signals.

The Attorney General of Pakistan has also been invited to the committee’s meeting on August 21 at the Parliament House. Currently, internet services are down across Pakistan, with the cause of the disruption still unclear.

Initial reports suggest that the disruption may be related to international traffic issues rather than local network problems. Despite the widespread disruption, Meta platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram remain operational.

PTCL officials have identified a fault in an underground submarine cable as a potential cause of the disruption, which has affected internet services nationwide.

Additionally, the Pakistani government is set to install a firewall across Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to manage social media and regulate internet traffic, following the Punjab government’s new Defamation Law 2024.

The firewall will use deep packet inspection (DPI) technology to monitor and filter data, block propaganda, and restrict access to prohibited content. ISPs will be required to implement this firewall, with the government covering part of the costs.