Sharks cannot damage submarine cables, clarifies PTA chief

Islamabad: A meeting of the Standing Committee on IT was chaired by Senator Ploshah Khan to discuss ongoing internet and social media issues.

During the meeting, committee members raised concerns about internet connectivity, particularly mentioning that while download speeds were acceptable, some applications were not functioning properly.

One member of the committee also pointed out that voice notes were not being sent.

The Chairman of PTA, in response, highlighted that Pakistan currently has 7 submarine cables, and additional cables were in the works.

He mentioned that 4 to 5 more submarine cables would be arriving soon, and the installation of 2 cables would be completed by the end of this year. Despite these improvements, Pakistan ranks 97th in the world in terms of internet speed, he added.

Regarding the submarine cables, the Chairman reassured the committee that sharks cannot damage them.

The committee was also informed that PTA receives 500 daily complaints about social media content.

The Chairman of PTA explained that they routinely request social media platforms to block harmful content. He added that while 80% of the content is successfully blocked, around 20% is not removed by platforms.

A discussion arose regarding internet shutdowns and content blocking, with Senator Kamran Murtaza questioning the legality of such actions. He argued that if internet bans are legally questionable, the government should be held accountable for the actions of the past 9 years.

The Chairman of PTA defended the actions, stating he could provide the exact dates and times when internet was shut down.

Senator Humayun Mehmood also pointed out that the rules only mention content and not the technicalities of internet shutdowns.

The Special Secretary of the Ministry of IT explained that the government could order the blocking of all online content in certain areas, but it would require an internet shutdown to enforce this.