Telecom Sector Urges PTA to Disclose Causes of Nationwide Internet Disruption on Sunday

 

The Telecom Operators Association (TOA) has called on the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to elucidate the nationwide internet outage that occurred on Sunday. The association is apprehensive that measures such as restricting access could significantly impede the government's ambitions for ICT-related growth.

In a letter addressed to PTA Chairman Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman, TOA conveyed its concerns, stating:

"Regrettably, the people of Pakistan faced another instance of restricted access to various social media platforms like Instagram, X, YouTube, Facebook, etc., yesterday evening. Additionally, it seems that the internet was intentionally slowed down, leading to a substantial decline in user experience nationwide. This marks the second such incident, with a similar setback occurring on December 17, 2023."

TOA emphasized that the telecom sector is aligned with and supportive of the government's efforts to position Pakistan as a prominent ICT hub, aiming to boost IT exports, attract foreign direct investment, and expedite the nation's digital transformation.

Expressing strong concern, TOA warned that censorship measures, as observed the previous night, could jeopardize the government's ICT growth goals and adversely affect Pakistan's international image. The letter argued that impeding access to digital social media platforms and websites is counterproductive in the contemporary era.

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The letter highlighted the surge in customer inquiries flooding telecom operators' websites and helplines during the outage. Customers sought information on the situation and requested prompt restoration of access, but operators were unable to provide satisfactory responses, resulting in consumer discontent.

TOA underscored the critical role of digital connectivity in today's world, emphasizing that disruptions severely impact lives, undermine businesses, and compromise national productivity and the country's reputation.

The Association urged the PTA to thoroughly investigate the events of the previous night and take measures to prevent such disruptions in the future. Additionally, it called on the regulator to issue a comprehensive clarification statement detailing the incident and outlining preventative measures for the future.