Internet outage case: LHC orders parties to submit response

Lahore: The Lahore High Court (LHC), giving a protective decision on the petition against the shutdown of the internet across the country, ordered all the parties to submit their answers at the next hearing.

The LHC summoned representatives of the federal government, the Ministry of Information, and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to the next hearing and ordered that the representative of each party should ensure attendance in the courtroom.

The Lahore High Court adjourned further hearing of the case till August 21.

It is pertinent to note that yesterday the recent shutdown and disruption of internet across the country was challenged in the LHC.

The federal government, PTA and others were made parties in the petition filed by Nadeem Sarwar.

It was argued in the petition that internet and social media applications have been shutdown in the country without notice and reason.

It was stated in the petition that the business and even every sphere of life is being affected by this shutdown, while it is also a violation of fundamental rights.

The court was requested to nullify the federal government's decision to shut down the internet and issue orders to fully and immediately restore the internet in the country.

Notably, on August 15, the Upper House Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology had directed to solve the problem of slow internet, and social media apps in the country within two weeks.

Also, yesterday, the freelancing platform Fiverr disabled several accounts in Pakistan after receiving complaints from its users about possible internet outages.