• Cyberattack suspected; no reports of damage to fibre-optic, undersea cables
• PTA blames fault in PTCL system; company says no issue at its end
• Senate defers briefing; minister defends firewall; PM vows better connectivity

ISLAMABAD: Amid issues with media uploads on WhatsApp via mobile data, PTCL and Ufone subscribers faced significant internet disruptions on Wednesday, with users from across the country reporting outages and erratic service speeds.

Unlike the previous outages, the latest disruption did not involve physical damage to PTCL’s optical fibre network or the international undersea internet cables.

Sources in the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) suggested a technical fault, with a suspected cyberattack on PTCL’s fibre-optic system or its internet gateways. The disruptions were patchy, affecting one service while the other remained operational for the same consumer.

By around 10pm, the PTA announced that the issue was largely under control. “The exact issue is being investigated by PTA to avoid such instances in future,” the regulator said in a statement.

A PTCL spokesperson said data services on the company’s network had been fully restored by 3:40pm. “The network experienced service interruption earlier, but after thorough checks, it is confirmed that there was no fault found at PTCL network end,” the official said.

Earlier, the spokesperson acknowledged data outages in various cities, impacting connectivity. “Our teams are actively working to resolve and rectify the issue at the earliest,” he added.

PTA spokesperson Malahat Obaid attributed the disruption to a “fault in the PTCL system”, according to a Dawn.com report.

“Internet/broadband users may experience degraded services during peak hours,” she said, explaining that the disruption might affect PTCL users and those internet service providers using PTCL’s bandwidth.

Services began to normalise by Wednesday evening. However, neither the PTA nor PTCL provided details on the technical problems’ causes.

The UK-based global internet monitor NetBlocks confirmed the disruptions, stating that live network data showed national connectivity at just 24 per cent of ordinary levels as of Wednesday noon.

Downdetector, which tracks outages, showed a spike in reported outages of PTCL services from around 1:30pm onwards.

The majority of the complaints, 73pc, reported “internet” problems while 23pc had reported “total blackout”.

Cities from where most of the complaints had been reported included Karachi, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan, Downdetector said.

Senate defers firewall briefing

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications on Wednesday postponed the briefing by the IT ministry regarding plans to install a firewall for monitoring social media and decided that the matter would not be discussed in the presence of media.

Chairperson of the Committee, Senator Palwasha Khan, interrupted the Universal Service Fund (USF) briefing and requested the shifting of the agenda items related to the installation of a firewall and the renewal of licences for Long Distance and International (LDI) operators.

However, State Minister for IT Shaza Fatima requested that these sensitive matters be addressed in an in-camera session. Despite the briefings being available in digital folders sent by the ministry officials, Ms Fatima requested the committee to defer both subjects to the next meeting.

Speaking to the media outside the committee room, Ms Fatima said firewalls are essential for maintaining digital security. She claimed that social media “is free to operate in the country and there is no restriction of any kind for any platform”.

Addressing recent issues with WhatsApp, where users faced difficulties sending and receiving media files via mobile data, Ms Fatima attributed the glitches to system upgrades.

Regarding X (formerly Twitter), she emphasised that the platform must respect Pakistan’s laws. “There is no issue with TikTok, Meta or others, but Twitter must respect our sentiment and we will manage it,” she added.

When asked if the firewall systems had been installed, the minister declined to answer. She also refuted reports that the IT ministry was being abolished. “There are 11 subordinate departments under the IT ministry and some of them will be trimmed whereas some needed to be strengthened,” she added.

‘Govt enhancing internet connectivity’

Amid the countrywide internet disruptions, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Wednesday that the government is taking all-out measures to provide fast and uninterrupted internet connectivity to the public.

During a meeting with a delegation from the Asia Internet Coalition led by Managing Director Jeff Paine, the prime minister outlined the government’s strategy to attract foreign investment in IT infrastructure.

Discussions covered data security, internet content ethics and the prevention of electronic crimes. PM Shehbaz emphasised the government’s commitment to developing an AI-based infrastructure, aspiring for Pakistan to achieve regional distinction in AI.

He said under the Digital Pakistan Initiative, the whole system was being digitised and hoped that the digitisation of the Federal Board of Revenue would prove to be a milestone towards economic digitisation and automation. During the briefing, it was told that consultation with all stakeholders on the draft of the Personal Data Protection Bill was in progress.

The meeting was attended by Ms Fatima, IT expert Tania Aidrus and senior officials.

Polio eradication efforts

Later, PM Shehbaz expressed concern over Pakistan being one of the two countries in the world facing the challenge of polio and directed the authorities concerned to utilise all available resources to eradicate the disease.

In a meeting with a polio eradication team, the premier said every child should be administered polio vaccines, including in areas facing security challenges.

He acknowledged the significant progress made in polio eradication due to the dedication of frontline workers, government determination and partner cooperation. The prime minister was briefed on two-, four-, and six-month plans, with nine polio cases reported in 2024. Nationwide polio vaccination drives are scheduled for September, October and December.

The premier was informed that digitised data of children missed in previous vaccination drives would ensure their vaccination through digital tracking.

The meeting was attended by Coordinator to the Prime Minister on National Health Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmed, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication Dr Ayesha Raza Farooq, Secretary National Health Dr Nadeem Mehboob, and National Coordinator on Polio Eradication Muhammad Anwarul Haq.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2024