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 explores ferry shipping to boost trade with Yemen, regional markets
- Pakistan commerce minister meets Yemeni envoy to discuss enhancing trade cooperation
- Yemeni ambassador calls for reviving bilateral agreements, strengthening trade mechanisms
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan said on Friday that his ministry is exploring the possibility of introducing ferry-based shipping services with Yemen to cut freight costs and boost bilateral, regional trade.
Pakistan has been attempting to enhance its ferry-based services with Middle Eastern countries in recent months. Islamabad granted its first-ever ferry service license to an international operator, Sea Keepers, for routes connecting Pakistan with Iran and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in August. Last month, Pakistan’s federal cabinet approved a ferry service to Oman from the southwestern port of Gwadar to boost trade and tourism.
Khan met Yemen’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Mohammed Motahar Alashabi, in Islamabad on Friday where both sides discussed enhancing trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.
“Jam Kamal highlighted the importance of creating efficient, low-cost logistics channels for small and medium enterprises and informed H.E. Alashabi that the ministry is examining the introduction of ferry-based small shipping services to reduce freight costs and improve turnaround time for regional trade,” the commerce ministry said.
“Both sides expressed confidence that sustained dialogue, improved logistics, and revival of formal cooperation mechanisms will help unlock new opportunities for trade and investment between Pakistan and Yemen.”
Alashabi expressed Yemen’s desire to expand commercial engagement with Pakistan, the commerce ministry said, stressing that Yemen continues to regard Islamabad as a “trusted partner” despite logistical and regional challenges in recent years.
He said nearly 300 Yemeni students are studying in Pakistan, highlighting strong people-to-people ties and confidence in Pakistan’s educational institutions. He stressed the need to revive bilateral agreements and strengthen mechanisms to boost trade between the nations.
Kamal said Pakistan placed a lot of emphasis on expanding trade with regional and nearby markets, adding that Pakistan’s growing entrepreneurial and SME sectors could benefit from improved access to close-proximity markets such as Yemen, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Oman.
