By Zainab Shafiq 
Senior journalist Hamid Mir has filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court against the slowing down of internet speed and installation of a firewall in Pakistan. In the petition, he made the PTA and Ministry for Human Rights respondents. In addition, it expressed concerns that the activities would violet fundamental rights of the citizens.
The petition, filed through his counsel Imaan Mazari, contends that the installation of this firewall, which has reportedly resulted in a significant decrease in internet speed, is violative of the fundamental rights of all Pakistanis. It prays that the implementation of the firewall is immediately suspended and all stakeholders, including members of the general public and experts from the industry, are consulted.
The petition also espouses that access to the internet needs to be declared a fundamental human right under the Constitution since it engages the livelihoods of a lot of people, particularly the youth, who remain at the center of Pakistan’s digital economy. According to Senator Afnan Ullah Khan, the throttling has so far cost an estimated $500 million in economic losses due to losses faced by freelancers and digital agencies. The petition says that the continued problems with the internet threaten to engulf the IT sector’s exports of Pakistan, amounting to a potential loss of USD 3 billion.
On the other side, the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology has also expressed concern over the disruptions in the internet service. Chaired by Palwasha Khan, the committee has asked for a detailed report regarding the issue within two weeks, an action that corresponds to public interest and rising concerns regarding the regulation of the internet in Pakistan.
Also, see:
Pakistan’s E-Commerce at Risk Due to Poor Internet, Warns Senate Committee