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Clearing the air around shutdown of internet firewall in Pakistan ahead of 5G auction, the country’s IT secretary Zarar Hashim Khan has said that no such system has been dismantled.
According to Pakistani publication Dawn, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology was informed last week that reports about the shutdown of the so-called internet firewall were incorrect. During the meeting, committee chairman Syed Aminul Haque referred to media reports about the firewall and sought clarity on the matter. Committee member Sadiq Memon also asked for a detailed briefing on the system and its purpose.
He further questioned the difference between an internet firewall and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s Web Monitoring System (WMS).Responding to the queries, the IT secretary said “The PTA’s WMS is fully operational”, adding that neither the firewall nor the WMS had caused any delay in internet services.
PTA chairman clarification on ‘firewall’
Addressing the committee, PTA Chairman Hafeezur Rehman clarified that the term “firewall” is commonly used to refer to the WMS.
He said the system has been in place in Pakistan since 2006 and continues to function as before.“This system has been upgraded four times, with the most recent upgrade carried out in 2023,” Rehman said. He further stated that similar to firewalls, the WMS is meant to provide security for digital connectivity in the country.The WMS, he highlighted, was installed to remove grey traffic in telephony, block social media platforms, and illegal websites within the country’s jurisdiction.“Our digital borders must also be protected,” the PTA chairman said. “However, social media platforms are blocked on the directives by the government or under court orders,” he said.The clarification comes amid reports and social media speculation suggesting that the government had shut down the so-called firewall ahead of the upcoming 5G spectrum auction.
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