ISLAMABAD — The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman, Hafeezur Rehman, announced on Thursday that the ban on X, formerly known as Twitter, will be lifted whenever the government requests its removal. This statement was made during a meeting of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, chaired by Rana Mahmoodul Hasan.
The social media platform has been suspended in Pakistan since February 17 due to national security concerns, though it remains accessible through virtual private networks (VPNs). Despite this, Rehman noted that usage of X has decreased by 70% in the country.
Legal and Regulatory Developments
Rehman indicated that the PTA blocks social media platforms only at the request of the government and that they contact these platforms about any complaints regarding violations of Pakistani law. He also mentioned that only 7% of the complaints forwarded to X in the last three months have been addressed, with X showing the lowest compliance ratio among all platforms.
The federal government recently defended the ban, calling it a “legitimate” measure for national security. However, various petitions have been filed in the Sindh High Court (SHC) against the suspension and intermittent internet restrictions.
VPN Whitelisting and Internet Access
Rehman highlighted that the PTA is working on whitelisting VPNs, which will limit the number of VPNs available in Pakistan. Despite the option of using VPNs, only 30% of people are utilizing them. The chairman also noted that about 56% of the population has internet access and that the 5G auction is expected to occur in March-April next year.
Taxation on Social Media and Local Mobile Manufacturing
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar discussed ongoing negotiations with international social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram regarding taxation on ads. Currently, there is no legislation in Pakistan concerning tax on income from international ads. However, the platforms are considering opening virtual offices in Pakistan due to security concerns.
Additionally, the cabinet secretary reported that local mobile phone manufacturing has begun, with around 37 companies producing about 20 million phones annually, 40% of which are smartphones. The PTA chairman mentioned that there has been no cyber attack on telecom infrastructure in the past two years and that there is a 34.50% tax on telecom customers.
