The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) has informed a Senate sub-committee that Pakistan currently has no specific law that expressly declares internet connectivity an essential service. However, the ministry acknowledged that internet access has become a key enabler of governance, commerce, education, healthcare, and national development.
The ministry said granting internet connectivity the status of an essential service would require legislative amendments, regulatory reforms and extensive consultations with stakeholders.
The written brief was submitted to the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecommunication’s sub-committee after it recommended including internet connectivity in Pakistan’s Essential Services framework. The committee had asked the ministry to examine the proposal from legal, policy, and operational perspectives and determine whether legislative changes would be necessary.
According to the ministry, internet connectivity has evolved beyond a communication tool and now serves as critical national infrastructure. It supports digital government services, banking and financial transactions, digital payments, e-commerce, education, research, telemedicine, disaster management, business continuity, freelancing, and public access to information.
The ministry said disruptions to internet services can have serious economic, administrative, and social consequences.
Reviewing the existing legal framework, the ministry said neither the Constitution nor the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996, explicitly recognizes internet connectivity as an essential service.
While the Constitution guarantees fundamental rights, including freedom of speech, access to information, and the right to conduct lawful business, it does not specifically recognize internet access as a constitutional right.
Existing Essential Services laws cover sectors such as electricity, gas, water supply, health services, and transport, but do not include internet connectivity.
The ministry identified several potential benefits of declaring internet connectivity an essential service. These include ensuring uninterrupted digital public services, protecting digital financial systems, strengthening investor confidence, supporting education and healthcare, improving emergency response, enabling uninterrupted digital commerce, and increasing the resilience of Pakistan’s telecommunications infrastructure.
At the same time, the ministry highlighted several legal, operational, and financial challenges that would need to be addressed before such a declaration could be made. It said the government must retain the authority to impose temporary internet restrictions in extraordinary situations involving national security, public order, or emergency management.
The ministry also said any legislation would need to clearly define the scope of “internet connectivity,” outline the responsibilities of service providers, establish continuity obligations, specify permissible exceptions, and set regulatory oversight mechanisms.
It added that implementation could require significant investment by telecom operators in network redundancy, disaster recovery systems, cybersecurity improvements, emergency restoration plans and minimum service availability standards.
In its assessment, the ministry concluded that internet connectivity has many characteristics of an essential public utility. It recommended that any decision to grant it essential service status should be supported by appropriate legislation, regulatory measures, and institutional arrangements.
The ministry further said consultations would be required with the Ministries of Law, Interior, and Defence, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), National Cyber Emergency Response Team (PKCERT), National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC), telecom operators, provincial governments, and other stakeholders to ensure service continuity while maintaining an appropriate balance between public interest and national security considerations.
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