ISLAMABAD: The PTI has slammed the government for “blocking” access to virtual private networks (VPNs) and called it a “blatant attempt to suppress freedom of expression and access to information”.

The party’s statement came after multiple users reported that they were unable to connect to VPNs over the weekend.

Officials have called the di­sruption “brief” and linked it with an “issue with the system”.

PTI’s central information se­­c­­retary Sheikh Waqas Akram condemned the government for “blocking” VPNs calling it unacceptable and intolerable.

He denounced the continued ban on X and said the government should install a firewall to protect citizens from terrorists’ threats rather than suppressing social media users. He said the government was prioritising social media control over a robust strategy to tackle terrorists.

The authorities are “utilising all their energy to muzzle social media” to keep citizens “in the dark about their policies and misdeeds”.

The government’s “mis­pl­a­ced priorities” could be jud­ged from their lack of concern about the future of the country and people’s well-being.

He said Prime Minister She­hbaz Sharif and his “cronies” were “begging” the world for loans, but have “squandered billions of rupees” on the firewall to rein in social media.

Mr Akram was referring to the Pakistan Telecom­muni­ca­tion Auth­ority’s Web Moni­to­ring System, also known as the firewall, to filter internet traffic and restrict access to unauthorised websites.

Earlier this month, the authority upgraded the system, which led to severe disruptions in internet services, where users complained of slow speed and frequent disconnections for months.

Mr Akram called upon the government not to install the firewall to target social media users and political opponents but to use it against terrorists who are targeting innocent people on a daily basis.

‘Self-serving policies’

In this era of information technology, the government seemed determined to cripple the industry with its “self-serving and agenda-driven policies”.

The constant disruptions in internet service have devastating consequences for the tech sector, including IT companies, software houses, freelancers and banks, the PTI leader added.

He urged the government to ensure uninterrupted internet services and not plunge the country further into a quagmire of problems.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2024