Hafeezur Rehman, Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), announced on Thursday that the PTA will lift the ban on X, formerly known as Twitter, whenever directed by the government. This statement was made during a Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat meeting chaired by Rana Mahmoodul Hasan in Islamabad.
The social media platform has been banned in Pakistan since February 17 due to national security concerns, though access is still possible through a virtual private network (VPN). Despite this, petitions have been filed in the Sindh High Court challenging the ban and the intermittent suspension of internet services. The federal government has defended the ban, stating it is a legitimate measure to address national security issues.
During the Senate meeting, Senator Abdul Qadir inquired about the potential removal of the ban. Rehman responded that the PTA would act on government orders regarding the ban. He also reported that only 7% of complaints submitted to X over the past three months have been addressed, making it the platform with the lowest compliance rate.
Rehman highlighted that the PTA only blocks social media platforms based on government requests and that they contact platforms regarding any complaints that breach Pakistani law. Despite the availability of VPNs, Rehman noted that the use of X in Pakistan has dropped by 70%, with only 30% of users employing VPNs. He added that the PTA plans to whitelist VPNs, limiting access to selected ones.
Regarding internet access, Rehman stated that 56% of the population is online and that a 5G auction is expected to take place in March-April of next year. He also addressed the issue of taxes on international ad revenue for content creators, noting that there is currently no legislation in place.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar mentioned that negotiations are underway with international social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to address tax issues. He also indicated that these platforms might open virtual offices in Pakistan due to security concerns. The cabinet secretary added that advertising on social media will be reviewed by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
Additionally, the local manufacturing of mobile phones has commenced, with about 37 local companies producing 20 million phones annually, 40% of which are smartphones. The PTA Chairman noted a 34.50% tax on telecom customers and reported no cyber attacks on telecom networks in the past two years.
