Senate committee directs to resolve internet issues within two weeks

Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology has given authorities a two-week deadline to resolve the ongoing internet slowdown and social media disruptions, demanding a report on the financial losses caused by the issue.

This directive came after committee members voiced concerns about the impact of these problems nationwide. The meeting, led by Senator Palwasha Khan of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), included officials from the IT ministry and the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA).

During the session on Thursday, members highlighted the severe damage to businesses dependent on IT infrastructure, especially e-commerce platforms. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Afnan Ullah Khan pointed out that the internet slowdown has resulted in losses of at least Rs500 million, causing many e-commerce companies to consider leaving the market. He also raised concerns about difficulties with uploading and downloading on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Mohammad Humayun Mohmand criticized the authorities for the damage to businesses, warning that continued issues could lead to widespread job losses and a collapse of business investment.

In response, IT Ministry Secretary Aisha Humera Chaudhry acknowledged the disruption in mobile operator services, attributing it to a "technical issue" and assured that it would be resolved soon. She clarified that the problem affects networks and not Wi-Fi connections.

However, a PTA official claimed that no formal complaints had been received regarding internet service disruptions.

The committee was also scheduled to discuss the controversial firewall issue, but the discussion was postponed due to the absence of PTA officials. The authority was expected to provide details about the firewall in an in-camera briefing.