Officials have confirmed that a trial run of a new firewall is temporarily slowing social media traffic, raising concerns about the impact on internet-based businesses in Pakistan. However, they assured that internet speeds would normalize after the trial period. The government has invested over Rs30 billion in this filtering system, primarily managing social media content.
The Ministry of Information Technology was allocated these funds, yet another authority is handling the actual execution of the project, reducing the Ministry’s role to merely administrative.
Work on the firewall began in January, encompassing the system’s purchase and installation. It is currently in the commissioning phase, which is expected to take several weeks. An official hinted that while the national filter might seem like a subtle threat to online businesses, it does not target these entities.
The primary focus is on curtailing the influence of social media personalities who allegedly spread misinformation. The government intends to limit their visibility and reach as part of broader efforts to manage online content, including enforcement through the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act 2016. Courts are also being established to prosecute those charged under this law.
While the firewall is still being tested, a July 11 advertisement from the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) indicated ongoing procurement processes. This ad called for bids for the supply and installation of various firewall technologies, with a deadline of July 26.
A PTA spokesperson clarified that this procurement is separate, intended solely for the security of PTA’s internal IT infrastructure, and not related to the larger Rs30 billion project. The tender involves purchasing four Next-Generation Firewalls and two Web Application Firewalls to bolster security at PTA’s primary data centre and disaster recovery site, ensuring comprehensive protection for its internal systems.
