Lahore/Islamabad: On Friday, the issue of internet slowdown reached the Lahore and Islamabad High Courts, following the confirmation by the Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication of slow internet speeds due to the installation of a content-filtering firewall.
The decision to install the firewall, which has caused internet disruptions for over a week, sparked widespread opposition from businesses and consumers reliant on stable internet access. The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) and several parliamentarians have spoken out against the firewall, a move that telecom operators have been hesitant to oppose publicly.
Justice Shakil Ahmad of the Lahore High Court (LHC) heard a petition on Friday challenging the government’s internet shutdown, seeking to declare it illegal. A similar petition was filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), arguing that the firewall violates citizens’ rights.
During the LHC hearing, Justice Ahmad expressed frustration when the government’s lawyer requested more time to submit a detailed report on the internet shutdown. The judge emphasized that the matter was of public interest and questioned the lawyer’s knowledge of the situation.
Advocate Nadeem Sarwar, representing the petitioner, argued that if the internet shutdown was necessary for national security or law and order, the public should have been informed. He highlighted that millions of Pakistanis depend on the internet for essential business activities and communication. Sarwar added that blocking or filtering internet services erodes civic space and restricts access to vital services, including healthcare and emergency assistance.
Sarwar further argued that the shutdown infringes on the right to education, as guaranteed by Article 25-A of the Constitution, and the right to business, trade, and profession under Article 18. He provided examples of the disruption, including impacts on ride-hailing services, food delivery companies, and social media platforms.
In a related case, a petition was filed in the IHC against the installation of the content-filtering firewall, citing a drastic reduction in internet speed. The petition, submitted by Advocate Iman Mazari, requested that the court declare internet access for livelihood as a fundamental human right and urged consultation with stakeholders before implementing such measures.
Earlier this week, P@SHA expressed concerns over the firewall installation, urging the federal government to reconsider the decision and engage with the IT industry. P@SHA Senior Vice Chairman Ali Ihsan highlighted the significant financial losses the industry had suffered due to the prolonged internet outage, amounting to $300 million. He also raised concerns about data security and the potential economic impact on the IT sector.
The issue was also discussed in a Senate Standing Committee on IT & Telecom meeting, where Senator Afnanullah warned that the country could lose $3 billion in IT sector exports if the internet problem persists amidst the ongoing economic crisis.
In response, Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja defended the firewall installation, describing it as a cybersecurity measure necessary to prevent increasing cyber-attacks. She acknowledged the complaints about slow internet speeds and stated that the ministry had requested a report from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
By Friday, internet services began returning to normal after two weeks of disruptions, with issues affecting social media apps like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram resolved.