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PTCL begins blocking proxy servers of prohibited sites
THE Pakistan Telecommunication Company has started to block those proxy servers which were increasingly being employed by Internet users to access proscribed websites, according to well-placed sources in the telephone utility.
Pakistan Internet Exchange (PIE), which is a PTCL subsidiary, has been blocking sites offering pornographic and other objectionable content since Jan 2003.
The sources said that in technical parlance proxy servers employed a technique in which one host, usually a router, answered address resolution protocol requests intended for another machine.
“By faking its identity, the router accepts responsibility for routing packets to the real destination. The Proxy ARP allows a site to use a single IP address with two physical networks,” they said.
A proxy server is a server that would act as a “middle-man” between a user and whatever else the user connected to.
“It [proxy server] is most commonly used as a ‘safety net’ for your connection. Using a proxy usually hides the true identity of the person using it,” they said.
The secretary of the Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan, V A Abidi, told Dawn that the blocking of websites by the PTCL had significantly slowed down the internet speed in the country.
Mr Abidi said: “The addresses of those websites which have been banned have to be listed on the PTCL router. Whenever a user makes a request, the system looks up the list to determine whether it contains the request or not. This tedious process naturally takes a lot of time.”
Analysts opine that using a proxy server is a simple process. “All a user needs to do is to find a list of free proxy servers by using an Internet search engine, such as google. Free proxy servers allow users to access all sorts of websites, even those which have been banned by the government in Pakistan.”
It may be recalled that some time back India had blocked Dawn website.
“Hundreds of thousands of Internet users in India had employed proxy servers to access Dawn website. Likewise, the government in Pakistan recently blocked a Washington-based website, www.satribune.com, which can also be accessed using a proxy server.”
PTA to launch survey
The regional office of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) at Peshawar is launching a survey to seek subscribers opinion on the performance of mobile phone companies.
“The purpose of the survey is to evaluate service standard of the cellular phone companies operating in the country by directly asking the consumers,” Nisar Ahmad Awan, Deputy Director and in-charge of regional office Peshawar, said.
Software exports fetch $40m
The chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Dr Pervez Butt said the country’s overall software exports had reached $40 million per year. However, software export from Singapore and India exceeds $10 billion per year, he admitted.
Speaking at the concluding session of 14th All-Pakistan Software Competition and Exhibition organized by Khan Research Labs, PAEC chairman said the IT sector grew at a rate of 62 per cent during 1999-2000.
For the competition, 138 entries were received, including 27 in professional and commercial categories and 102 in the amateur group. After evaluation, 84 software were included in the competition. The overall first prize of Rs30,000 was given to FAST National University, Lahore.
ID verification system in place
The National Database and Registration Authority says its “Verisys” “Biosys” systems have become operative.
The Verisys system would facilitate verification of individuals holding computerized national ID cards, according to a Nadra news release.
It adds: this online system, being introduced in Pakistan for the first time, is proposed to be offered to the banks and financial institutions, according to Nadra.
The Verisys system would enable financial institutions verify a person’s credentials before undertaking any business activity. The financial institutions would be provided with dial-up connectivity for instant access to the required data under the high-tech verification system.
Post-PhD fellowships
The Higher Education Commission has launched a post-doctoral fellowship scheme for Pakistani nationals working in research and development organizations and public-sector universities in the country.
These fellowships will be available in the fields of information technology, genetic engineering and biotechnology, materials science, electronics and micro-electronics, engineering, laser and fibre optics, basic sciences, agriculture sciences, renewable energy and energy technology, advanced food technologies, technology management, pharmaceutical sciences, and robotics and mechatronics.
According to the eligibility, candidates not more than 45 years of age can apply for the fellowships. The candidates should have at least three years of post-doctoral employment in a public university or research and development institution in Pakistan with a PhD degree in the relevant area.
Evidence for acceptance by a well-established or recognized foreign host university or research and development institution for undertaking post-doctoral work should also be provided with the application. — Dawn ScienceDotcom Report
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