The use of virtual private networks (VPNs) has overloaded internet services in the country, officials of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) told the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom on Thursday.
PTA officials said they will block VPNs but businesses would suffer. The officials tried to argue that VPN usage had derailed internet services to the point that the entire infrastructure was suffering.
When asked by the committee about progress on re-instating normal internet services across the country, officials said one submarine cable is expected to be fixed by August 27, 2024, while another underground cable had malfunctioned. PTA officials were unable to provide a time frame on when the second cable would be fixed.
During the meeting, questions were raised about the recent X ban. PTA officials said the platform was blocked on the orders of the Interior Ministry when it refused to remove controversial content related to religious and communal violations. Despite the ban, the platform remains accessible via VPNs, which PTA officials admitted they cannot completely block without disrupting business activities.
A committee member criticized the inefficacy of such social media bans, noting that they only lead to public dissatisfaction and reputational damage.
PTA itself confuses after IT Minister statement, what to say and how to defend this activity to hit privacy and hold over all digital world. PTA lost it’s existence point but now a toy on others hand.
Those stupid ducks know they cant ban vpns and they also cant ban amy social media sites. There are always says to access every site. Yet wasting public mony on firewalls and cyber security. For what, just to hide public figures and politicians “kalay kartoo videos” all that drama because some ganday videos roaming on X which shows dark side of our politicians. Vpns cant be blocked thats the purpose of vpn to access intenet even its inaccessible. PTA firewall totally screwed the local intenet speed and those submarine cables damage drama never ends. They opened a Pandora box of firewalls which they cant control or handle. Pata nai kis kis ne apnay hissay ka paisa khaya is firewall implication k chakar may. Dhaggay hain sab.