Senate Panel Concerned over Slow Speed of Internet

Staff Report:

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, expressed serious concerns over the ongoing issue of slow internet speeds across Pakistan and the legal ambiguities surrounding internet shutdowns and content blocking.

The committee was informed that increasing fiberization was the only solution to improve internet speed, but it is the responsibility of the government to ensure its expansion.

The committee was briefed by the Chairman of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Major General (retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman, who highlighted that slow internet speeds would persist unless significant improvements were made in the country’s digital infrastructure.

He emphasized that the expansion of fibre-optic networks, also known as “fiberisation,” was the key to boosting internet speeds, and noted that fiberisation was the responsibility of the government.
The committee also discussed the issue of VPN closures and internet shutdowns.

Chairman PTA clarified that he had not authorised the closure of Virtual Private Network (VPN) services, a topic that has sparked considerable debate in recent months.

He further explained that the PTA had initiated the process to register VPN service providers on December 19, and two companies have applied for licenses.

The committee members also raised concerns about the practice of shutting down internet services, particularly after receiving directives from the Ministry of Interior.

However Chairman PTA responded that such shutdowns had been a recurring issue since 2016 but were recently deemed unlawful, and added that the Ministry of Law and Ministry of Interior must provide final legal opinions on this matter.
Senators Kamran Murtaza and Senator Humayun Mohmand questioned the legal framework governing the blocking of internet services and social media platforms.
Senator Murtaza challenged the legality of blocking services, asking where such an authority has been mentioned in the law.
PTA Chairman responded that the rules allowed the Ministry of Interior to direct the PTA to block content or services but emphasised that the Act did not specify the blocking of internet services in any particular geographic areas.
Senator Murtaza raised concerns about the legality of ongoing shutdowns, if it was not clear in the law and added that the parliamentary committee should be provided the clear legal framework for such actions.
The committee was also briefed on the PTA’s efforts to regulate social media content and Chairman PTA highlighted that the authority receives around 500 complaints daily related to harmful or illegal content at social media platforms.
“We are in continuous dialogue with social media companies to block harmful content, but there remains a significant gap in enforcement,” chairman PTA added.
Chairperson Senator Palwash Khan underscored the urgent need for better digital infrastructure, particularly in terms of expanding fiber-optic networks, to address the issue of slow internet speeds.
The committee also has called for clear legal guidelines on internet governance, content blocking, and the responsibilities of government agencies in managing digital services.