Only government can allow twitter access; says PTA chairman

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Hafeezur Rehman announced that the authority will lift the ban on X, formerly Twitter, whenever directed by the government.

Rehman made this statement during a Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat meeting, chaired by Rana Mahmoodul Hasan in Islamabad.

X has been suspended in Pakistan since February 17 due to national security concerns but remains accessible via virtual private networks (VPNs). Following the ban, various petitions were filed with the Sindh High Court challenging the restrictions and the intermittent suspension of internet services.

In its defense of the ban, the federal government argued last month that the action was justified for national security reasons. During the Senate meeting, Senator Abdul Qadir inquired about the timeline for lifting the ban. Rehman responded that the PTA would remove the ban as soon as the government requested it.

Rehman also noted that only 7% of complaints forwarded to X in the past three months had been addressed, marking the platform’s lowest compliance rate. He clarified that the PTA blocks social media platforms only at the government’s request and follows up on complaints related to violations of Pakistani law.

Regarding VPN use, Rehman revealed that while the availability of VPNs has allowed access to X, usage has dropped by 70%, with only 30% of users employing VPNs.

The PTA plans to whitelist VPNs, making only selected services available in Pakistan. Rehman also mentioned that 56% of people have internet access and that a 5G auction is expected in March-April next year.

On the topic of content creators and international ads, PTA Chairman Rehman noted that there is currently no legislation requiring taxes on such income.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar added that discussions are ongoing with international social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram about this issue. Tarar also mentioned that these platforms are considering opening virtual offices in Pakistan for security reasons.

The cabinet secretary reported that local mobile phone manufacturing has begun, with 37 companies producing around 20 million phones annually, 40% of which are smartphones.

Rehman stated that Pakistan imposes a 34.50% tax on telecom customers and noted there have been no cyberattacks on telecom infrastructure in the past two years.