The issue of internet disruptions in Pakistan has come under scrutiny as the country’s telecom regulator makes a key announcement.
The regulator has confirmed that a National Firewall System (NFS) has been implemented to manage social media content but attributes recent internet service issues to a fault in the submarine cable.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (retired) Hafeez Ur Rehman addressed the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT and Telecom on Wednesday amid growing concerns about ongoing internet issues in Pakistan.
In response to the committee’s questions, Rehman acknowledged that the NFS was installed as part of a government decision from the PTI era.
However, he attributed the recent disruptions to a fault in the submarine cable, which carries telecommunication signals across oceans.
He added, “We have received a notice stating that the issue will be resolved by August 27.”
Regarding the financial impact, Rehman mentioned that the telecom sector has incurred a loss of Rs300 million, not including undocumented losses in the IT sector.