Petition against firewall, internet shutdown set for hearing

Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) overruled the objections of the Registrar's Office on the application against the slowness of the internet and the installation of a firewall and fixed the hearing of the appeal for tomorrow.

According to the details, Chief Justice IHC Aamer Farooq heard the application with objection.

During the hearing, the petitioner's lawyer Iman Mazari said that the registrar's office has objected to the petition. Chief Justice Farooq remarked that three objections will be looked at on the judicial side, the fourth objection is the use of inappropriate language in the petition.

On this, the lawyer said that we have only attached the tweet, and there is no inappropriate language in it. We request the court to fix the hearing tomorrow.

Later, the court accepted the plea and directed to set the case for a hearing tomorrow, and removed the objections of the Registrar's Office.

It is pertinent to note that on August 16, a petition was filed in the IHC against the installation of a firewall and internet shutdown.

Senior journalist Hamid Mir filed the petition through lawyer Iman Mazari, in which the Secretary Cabinet, Secretary Information Technology (IT), Secretary Interior, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Ministry of Human Rights have been made parties.

He requested in the petition that the installation of firewalls affecting the fundamental rights of citizens should be stopped. The installation of firewalls should be made subject to consultation of all stakeholders and protection of fundamental rights and access to the Internet for livelihood. It should be declared as fundamental human right under the Constitution.