IT minister denies involvement in internet suspension resulting in billion-rupee losses

Following the internet blackout in Pakistan, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin-ul-Haque distanced his ministry from the blockage, stating that they were not taken into confidence.

According to Geo, Haque revealed that mobile internet services were suspended without the Ministry of IT’s consultation. Since 2017, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has not been under the Ministry of IT, and the PTA has been operating independently.

The minister explained that blocking social media websites or the internet was not the solution to any issue, and he urged people to be open-minded rather than resorting to using a VPN to access blocked sites.

Haque suggested that instead of completely blocking the internet, it could be blocked in specific areas. He emphasized that the IT sector suffered losses of billions of rupees due to internet blockages.

The suspension of mobile broadband and restricted access to Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube occurred after violent protests arose in response to the Rangers personnel arresting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan from the Islamabad High Court. At least ten people died, and dozens sustained injuries during the days-long protests.

After almost a seven-day suspension, the government restored access to social media platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. The suspension was recommended by the interior ministry and is the longest continuous shutdown in a country that often suspends communication as a tool to quell unrest. Telecom operators suffered an approximate revenue loss of Rs820 million, which was a significant blow to the sector as the economy remained in a fragile state.

Additionally, the government blocked major social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, while YouTube services were slower to control the spread of disinformation.