The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology, on Thursday, was informed that the reports regarding the shutdown of the internet firewall prior to the 5G spectrum auction were inaccurate.
At the beginning of the meeting, Syed Aminul Haque, the committee chairman, acknowledged the existence of reports concerning the firewall.
In the meantime, Sadiq Memon requested a briefing on this system and its significance for the nation.
He also inquired about the distinction between an internet firewall and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s Web Monitoring System (WMS). Zarar Hashim Khan, the Information Technology Secretary, denied the claim that any such system had been decommissioned.
“The PTA’s WMS is fully operational,” Khan stated, emphasising that neither the internet firewall nor the WMS had faced a shutdown or resulted in any delays in internet services.
PTA Chairman reaffirms commitment to digital security
Following the initial briefing by the IT secretary, PTA Chairman Hafeezur Rehman was given the floor, where he clarified that the term firewall is a colloquial expression for the WMS, which has been operational in Pakistan since 2006.
“This system has undergone four upgrades, with the latest one completed in 2023,” he noted.
The PTA chairman explained that, similar to firewalls, the WMS is designed to ensure security for digital connectivity within the country.
He informed the committee that the WMS was implemented to eliminate grey traffic in telephony, block social media platforms, and restrict access to illegal websites within the nation’s jurisdiction.
“Our digital borders must also be safeguarded,” the PTA chairman remarked, adding that cyberattacks originating from India were successfully countered during times of increased tension between the two nations.
“However, the blocking of social media platforms occurs at the behest of the government or under court orders,” he added.
PTA Chairman further informed the committee that social media platforms had been blocked on seven occasions thus far, based on directives from either the government or the court.
