• Grills state counsel for lack of knowledge, intends to pass appropriate order
• Hamid Mir petitions IHC against internet slowdown

LAHORE / ISLAMABAD: The Lahore High Court (LHC) grilled the state counsel on Friday for his lack of knowledge and seriousness about recent internet disruptions across the country and expressed its intent to pass an appropriate order on the matter.

Presiding over the hearing of a public interest petition filed by Advocate Nadeem Sarwar, Justice Shakeel Ahmed of the LHC directed an assistant attorney general to consult with relevant authorities and present a report after a break.

When the hearing resumed, Justice Ahmed emphasised the public interest nature of the issue and stated that the court would issue an appropriate order.

The government’s lawyer requested additional time to submit a detailed report on the internet disruptions, noting that consultation with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was necessary to determine the cause of the slowdown.

Expressing dissatisfaction, Jus­tice Ahmed questioned the seriousness of the government’s response, highlighting the law officer’s lack of sufficient information despite the issue’s critical public importance. The judge adjourned the hearing until Aug 21.

In his petition, Advocate Sarwar argued that millions of Pakistanis rely on internet services for essential communication and business activities. He said that by blocking, filtering or shutting down these services, the government was undermining civic space, fostering a climate of economic uncertainty and disrupting access to healthcare, online business, and emergency and financial transactions.

He lamented that abrupt internet outages prevent technology firms from meeting deadlines, causing financial losses and damaging their credibility. The petitioner said the slowdowns have harmed technology firms and freelancers. He also pointed out that major platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp have been severely affected since last week.

He urged the court to declare that internet shutdowns violate the Constitution and order the government to ensure uninterrupted internet connectivity.

Hamid Mir moves IHC

Meanwhile, senior journalist Hamid Mir moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against internet slowdown.

The petition, filed through Advocate Imaan Mazari, argued that the petitioner seeks redressal for the glaring violations of citizens’ fundamental rights due to the apparent installation of a firewall, drastically reduced internet speeds, routine network disruptions, and the federal government’s denial of these issues.

Mr Mir contended that he, along with other journalists, are facing difficulties in performing their duties due to these connectivity issues.

The petition highlighted that Mr Mir fosters public engagement in his talk shows through the social media platform X, announcing topics an hour before airing and incorporating public opinions.

However, due to the ban on X, the firewall, and resultant internet throttling, he has struggled to maintain this level of engagement, Mr Mir said in the petition.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2024