The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology on Thursday was informed that reports about the shutdown of the so-called internet firewall ahead of the 5G spectrum auction were incorrect.
At the outset of the meeting, Syed Aminul Haque, the committee chairman, noted that there were reports regarding the firewall. Meanwhile, Sadiq Memon called for a briefing on this system and its utility for the nation. He also enquired about the difference between an internet firewall and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s Web Monitoring System (WMS).
Information Technology Secretary Zarar Hashim Khan denied that any such system had been dismantled.
“The PTA’s WMS is fully operational,” Khan said, adding that neither a firewall nor the WMS had caused any delay in internet services.
After the initial briefing by the IT secretary, the floor was given to PTA Chairman Hafeezur Rehman, who clarified that the word firewall was a colloqial term for the WMS, adding that it had been in place in Pakistan since 2006.
“This system has been upgraded four times, with the most recent upgrade carried out in 2023,” he said. The PTA chairman said that like firewalls, the WMS was meant to provide security for digital connectivity in the country.
He informed the committee that the WMS was installed to eradicate 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, adding that cyberattacks originating from India were thwarted during periods of heightened tension between the two countries.
“However, social media platforms are blocked on the directives by the government or under court orders,” he asserted.
Rehman further informed the committee that social media platforms had been blocked seven times so far on orders either from the government and or the court.
“But this does not mean that the internet speeds experience a slowdown or anything else happens due to the WMS,” he added.
“Three major telecom operators-Jazz, Ufone, and Zong-have submitted an advance participation fee of $15 million each, demonstrating strong industry confidence in the 5G rollout,” he said while briefing the committee.
The committee was told that regulatory mechanisms were in place to safeguard the national cyber infrastructure while ensuring continuity of telecom services, particularly ahead of the upcoming 5G rollout.
The committee was also briefed on preparations regarding the upcoming 5G spectrum scheduled for March 10. It was also told that all three telecom operators in the country – Jazz, Ufone and Zong – had expressed the will to participate.
The PTA chairman said that in the past 12 years, a total of four spectrum auctions had been held and the government had released 69 megahertz (MHz). He said that in the upcoming auction, 597 MHz was being offered and each participant had to obtain a minimum of 100 MHz each.
He added that the availability of more spectrum would not only help introduce 5G in Pakistan but also help improve and increase 4G coverage across the country.
Meanwhile, a senior official of the IT ministry told the media that the WMS was not designed to block any particular social media account and referred to the X account of PTI founder Imran Khan, highlighting that it continued to operate while the ex-premier was in prison.
“If the WMS could stop individual accounts, why did the government wait so long and finally approach the X management to block this account?” the official asked.
The development comes amid reports and speculation on social media regarding the government’s decision to shut down the so-called firewall ahead of the 5G spectrum auction.
In August 2024, after months of speculation about the installation of a so-called firewall that could be leading to internet disruptions, the country’s IT minister finally confirmed that the government was indeed upgrading its “web management system” to cope with cybersecurity threats.
Despite the rather ambiguous terminology used by Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, this was the first time an official had acknowledged the government’s actions, which were blamed for everything from slow browsing speeds, the arbitrary blocking of social media platforms and WhatsApp connectivity issues on mobile data.
Up until then, official stakeholders – Khawaja’s ministry and the PTA – had either been feigning ignorance in response to public outcry and media queries, or claiming that the problems were because of telecom and internet service providers, or even Meta.