ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday summoned representatives from the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) and the Ministry of Information Technology on August 26 to respond to senior journalist and television anchor Hamid Mir’s petition regarding the countrywide Internet slowdown amid the installation of a national firewall.
According to the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan, nationwide Internet speeds have dropped by 30-40 percent in the last few weeks as the government operationalizes the firewall intended to filter undesired content, such as “anti-state propaganda.”
Pakistan’s State Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja rejected reports over the weekend that the government was responsible for slowing or shutting down the Internet in the country, attributing it instead to the widespread use of virtual private networks (VPNs) amid the ban on social media platform X.
Mir filed his petition through Advocate Imaan Zainab Mazari on Friday, describing the frequent network disruptions in recent weeks as a violation of citizens’ fundamental rights, while challenging the government’s denial of its contribution to the situation.
“During today’s hearing, the chief justice issued notices to PTA and the IT ministry for the next hearing on August 26 and asked why the Internet is slow and what is the firewall,” Mir told Arab News.
He said the IHC registrar initially raised some objections to his petition, but Chief Justice Aamer Farooq overruled them and scheduled the case for a hearing on Tuesday.
Mir noted in his petition he was aggrieved by the government’s conduct, which had caused him and his colleagues significant difficulties in performing their duties as professional journalists, heavily reliant on online connectivity and communication.
He maintained that young people, particularly students, were also facing substantial challenges.
Speaking to Arab News, the president of the Pakistan Freelancers Association said last week the businesses of over 2.3 million Pakistani freelance workers had suffered due to the slow Internet.
After Tuesday’s hearing, Mir’s lawyer informed the court was fully aware of the Internet disruption affecting the entire country.
“The honorable court inquired about the reasons behind the disruption and sought the government’s stance on the issue,” Mazari said, adding the additional attorney general was unable to provide a satisfactory response, saying he did not use the Internet frequently and was unaware of the situation.
She added that the chief justice observed the Internet disruption in Pakistan was a matter of common knowledge before summoning representatives from the PTA and IT ministry for the next hearing on August 26.
Asked about the state minister for information technology’s assertion regarding the Internet slowdown, Mazari said it was factually incorrect that it was caused by VPN use.
Arab News reached out to the PTA and the Ministry of IT for their comments, but they did not respond by the time this story was filed.
Pakistan court seeks government response over Internet slowdown amid national firewall controversy
https://arab.news/6dtny
Pakistan court seeks government response over Internet slowdown amid national firewall controversy
- Islamabad High Court takes up journalist Hamid Mir’s petition, summons relevant authorities for Aug. 26 hearing
- Government has denied responsibility for network disruptions, attributing it instead to the widespread use of VPN
Pakistan’s deputy PM speaks with Iran, Türkiye after UN rights vote on Tehran
- Pakistan voted against UN rights council resolution seeking to expand scrutiny of Iran
- Dar discusses regional issues with Türkiye’s Hakan Fidan after World Economic Forum
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar held separate phone calls on Saturday with the foreign ministers of Iran and Türkiye, highlighting Islamabad’s growing diplomatic engagement on regional crises after backing Tehran at the United Nations Human Rights Council and amid wider discussions on Middle East stability.
Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, spoke with Iran’s Seyed Abbas Araghchi after Islamabad voted against a resolution at the UN rights council in Geneva that sought to expand international scrutiny of Iran following a crackdown on anti-government protests that began last month and continued for several days.
“Foreign Minister Araghchi thanked DPM / FM for his strong support and Pakistan’s position at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva,” the foreign office said in a statement after the phone call.
While the resolution was adopted, Iran rejected it as “politicized” and described the council’s action as interference in its internal affairs.
Dar later spoke by phone with Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, with the two leaders reviewing developments following the World Economic Forum in Davos and agreeing to remain in close contact on key regional and international matters, the foreign office said.
Pakistan and Türkiye have increasingly coordinated diplomatic positions on regional issues, including Middle East tensions, as Islamabad positions itself as an active interlocutor in multilateral forums addressing conflict and humanitarian crises.
Iran’s foreign minister also conveyed appreciation to Pakistan’s prime minister, government and people for what he described as Islamabad’s principled stance, the statement added.
