DIGITAL PAKISTAN MONITOR – September 2024
A monthly report on trends relating to digital rights, policies, practices & media
Tracking: Internet and digital policies and regulations
Digitalization in governance and socio-economic domains
Digital rights violations and protections
Digital rights advocacy and defense
Digital media and online free speech
Vol. 5, No. 9 – September 2024 Edition
Produced by Freedom Network – www.fnpk.org
SECTION 1: Internet and digital policies and regulations
- Federal and provincial governments (ministries and departments)
- Internet regulators
- Media regulators
- Telecom regulators
- Internet access / connectivity
Internet services suspended in Mianwali
Date: September 1, 2024 – Source: Express Tribune
Internet services were suspended in Mianwali and its surrounding towns after an incident in Kalabagh resulted in two deaths and injuries to more than a dozen people. The incident was caused by tensions between two local groups.
IT, Telecommunication secretary to be selected from open market
Date: September 2, 2024 – Source: The News
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the formation of a selection board for the contract appointment of Secretary of Information Technology and Telecommunication Division through open market.
PTA receives five proposals for 5G spectrum auction
Date: September 3, 2024 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Pakistan Today
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) received five proposals from international consultants to oversee the 5G spectrum auction in the country, with the process expected to be completed within the ongoing fiscal year.
Government hires IT, telecommunication secretary from the private sector
Date: September 4, 2024 – Source: The News
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the appointment of Zarrar Hasham Khan, a professional from the private sector, as secretary of the information technology and telecommunication division.
Tall claims: ‘Internet disruptions in Pakistan to be fixed by month-end’
Date: September 7, 2024 – Source: The News
The federal government was hopeful to fix ongoing disruptions in internet services SEA-Me-WE near Karachi (undersea) by the end of September. This disclosure was made in a written reply submitted by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication in the National Assembly.
LDI license renewal delays to disrupt cellphone network
Date: September 10, 2024 – Source 1: The News, Source 2: Express Tribune
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication of massive disruption in Pakistan’s cellular networks if licenses of Long Distance International (LDI) companies were not renewed.
The dispute between LDI operators and PTA
Date: September 16, 2024 – Source: Dawn
The dispute over the application of allegedly wrongful, higher Access Promotion Contribution (APC) rates on Long Distance and International (LDI) operators and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) involves 13 operators and their issues regarding unpaid dues since 2004.
Power-hungry data centers to stretch resources
Date: September 17, 2024 – Source: The News
With Pakistan’s digital needs expanding at a rapid pace, the country is becoming prime territory for more data centers. While there are 22 data centers listed in Pakistan currently, the number is set to grow.
Minister blames spectrum, poor infrastructure for internet slowdown
Date: September 25, 2024 – Source: Dawn
Minister of State for Information Technology Shaza Fatima said that the internet issues being faced by users were ‘complicated’ and blamed infrastructure constraints as well as lack of investment.
WISPAP welcomes WLAN framework, highlights shortcomings
Date: September 25, 2024 – Source: The News
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) published the ‘Framework for Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) 2024’, marking a crucial regulatory shift for the country.
PTCL signs loan deal with IFC to acquire Telenor
Date: September 27, 2024 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Mettis Global
Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) entered into a deal with the International Finance Corporation (IFC)-led consortium for $400 million financing that would help it materialize its plan of acquisition of Telenor Pakistan and its subsidiary Orion Towers (Private) Limited.
SECTION 2: Digital rights advocacy and defense
- Pakistan-based citizens and civil society organizations
- Independent international digital rights organizations
- UN and global multilateral organizations
- Governmental and other sources
SECTION 3: Digital rights violations and protections
- Citizens and netizens – including case studies
- Media, journalists and other information practitioners
- Online free speech
- Online access to information
- Privacy violations
- Data protection
- Surveillance
- Misinformation / disinformation / fake news
- Cybercrime
Date: September 1, 2024 – Source: Dawn
It matters if countries take cues from a superpower like the United States and dismiss the press as an increasingly irrelevant institution that will be replaced by TikTokers. Media managers must embrace change, whether it is learning technological innovations or exploring new business models.
Date: September 1, 2024 – Source: The News
In recent times, the use of protective terminology has resurfaced in policies that, despite their benevolent presentation, may ultimately be more harmful than beneficial. Take, for example, the proposed establishment of Digital Rights Protection Authority or the ‘whitelisting of VPNs’.
Date: September 1, 2024 – Source: The News
The firewall has become shorthand for a system or cluster of technologies used to filter content on the internet, raising concerns about the state of our digital rights to expression, information and privacy. There is a need to understand the implications of increased surveillance and monitoring in our lives.
Date: September 1, 2024 – Source: The News
Deliberate disruptions of internet access and pervasive use of surveillance technologies in Pakistan’s digital landscape cast a grim shadow over democratic freedoms and human rights. These actions have profound implications that ripple across economic, civil and public spheres.
Date: September 1, 2024 – Source: Express Tribune
A less-talked about issue with unannounced internet shutdowns is mobility. Due to these disruptions, residents of Pakistan’s metropolis of Karachi continue to face issues with accessing affordable transportation through digital ride-hailing applications.
PTA starts blocking SIMs issued on expired national identity cards
Date: September 3, 2024 – Source: Dawn
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) started the second phase of blocking mobile SIMs to prevent their illegal use. In this phase, SIMs of users whose national identity cards had expired before 2017 and have not been renewed yet will be blocked.
Protest in GB over ‘misuse’ of anti-terrorism, cybercrime laws
Date: September 3, 2024 – Source: Dawn
The Gilgit-Baltistan Awami Action Committee organized a protest rally against the misuse of Anti-Terrorism and cybercrime laws, saying these laws were being misused by the government to silence the voice of people against injustices in the area and to curb their freedom of expression.
The great firewall of Pakistan
Date: September 5, 2024 – Source: The News
The Pakistani government’s quest for a social media that is free of any dissent or criticism of state institutions and contains little or no support for a particular politician and party has led it to install what is being called an internet firewall.
VPNs not being blocked in Pakistan, PTA clarifies
Date: September 11, 2024 – Source: Dawn
In a statement released on social media platforms, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) clarified that virtual private networks (VPNs) were not being blocked in the country.
PTA lawyers disagree over status of X ban
Date: September 13, 2024 – Source: Dawn
Two lawyers representing the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in the Sindh High Court (SHC) took contradictory stances on whether or not unrestricted access to social media platform X had been restored.
Former PM’s tweets create uproar, mystery over who runs account
Date: September 15, 2024 – Source: Dawn
Controversial tweets posted on former prime minister Imran Khan’s X account have created turmoil, with the ruling and opposition parties trading barbs over who was currently operating that particular account.
PTA clarifies X ban order still in effect
Date: September 15, 2024 – Source: Express Tribune
The counsel representing the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) told the Sindh High Court (SHC) that the withdrawal of the notification regarding the suspension of social media platform X in Pakistan was ‘mistakenly’ reported, clarifying that the ban remains in effect.
Former PM joins FIA cybercrime probe
Date: September 15, 2024 – Source: The News
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan officially joined the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) cybercrime investigation in connection with a threatening post made from his official X account.
Police officers in KP directed to avoid using social media platforms
Date: September 18, 2024 – Source: Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
To ‘ensure discipline and professionalism’, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) police officially banned the use of social media platforms by all officers under the department’s employment.
Date: September 16, 2024 – Source: The News
In today’s world, the line between our online and offline lives has blurred to the point of non-existence. Whether it’s how we earn, spend, learn, or entertain ourselves, everything has moved online. The internet has become the backbone of modern living, influencing our decisions and driving economies.
Date: September 24, 2024 – Source: Dawn
It happened again over the weekend. Internet users in Pakistan found themselves cut off from WhatsApp and Instagram, with many unable to send voice notes, multimedia messages or even make calls.
Digital media workers in Pakistan struggling for fair pay, safe working environment
Date: September 25, 2024 – Source: Dawn
In a legal brief submitted to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), the Institute for Research, Advocacy and Development (IRADA) observed that more than 250,000 digital media employees in Pakistan were working without adequate legal protection for issues such as fair pay and appropriate working conditions.
SECTION 4: Digitalization
- Digitalization in governance sectors / e-governance
- Digitalization in social and development sectors
- Digitalization in business and commercial sectors
Date: September 1, 2024 – Source: The News
Sporadic and sluggish internet service and the restraining of social media platforms and messaging application services have impacted people, especially e-commerce entrepreneurs and freelancers, across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
AI for everyone: Your interactive guide to Pakistan’s artificial intelligence policy
Date: September 1, 2024 – Source: Express Tribune
By leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), AI For Good, has developed the National AI Policy GPT – a cutting-edge tool designed to provide access to the National AI policy, in English as well as Urdu, for wider reach, better understanding, and to foster meaningful engagement among diverse stakeholders.
Date: September 1, 2024 – Source: The News
A general internet slowdown in Pakistan has severely disrupted economic activity in several sectors, leading to significant losses. Reports indicate that up to $300 million in potential freelance business has been lost due to these disruptions.
Digitization of shrines on the card in Punjab
Date: September 2, 2024 – Source: Dawn
Parliamentary Secretary for Auqaf and Religious Affairs Punjab Malik Iftikhar Ahmed said under special directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz efforts will be made to ensure digitization of shrines, residential and commercial properties of Auqaf in the province.
Freelancing: providing digital lifeline for Pakistan’s economy
Date: September 2, 2024 – Source: Express Tribune
Freelancers have become a significant source of income for Pakistan, generating over $1 billion annually, as reported by the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB). This influx of revenue has a multiplier effect, stimulating local businesses and fostering job creation.
BISP’s women beneficiaries to get smartphones
Date: September 3, 2024 – Source: Dawn
The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) announced plans to provide smartphones to women who receive cash transfers under the scheme. The move is aimed at ensuring that BISP beneficiaries receive payments with complete transparency and respect.
New customs tariff blocks hazardous e-waste imports
Date: September 6, 2024 – Source: Dawn
As Pakistan recently updated its import policy in line with the international waste management standards as defined under the Basel Convention to protect the environment, the customs tariff has also been updated under the HS Code 8549.
IT accounted for 35pc of Pakistan’s total service-sector exports in 2023
Date: September 6, 2024 – Source: Dawn
According to a new research report, Pakistan’s information technology (IT) services sector has grown 2.7 times since 2014 and made up 35 per cent of all service-sector exports in 2023.
Chromebook production begins in Pakistan
Date: September 6, 2024 – Source 1: Express Tribune, Source 2: Pakistan Today
Technology giant Google launched an initiative to produce half a million Chromebook devices in Pakistan, marking the occasion by presenting the first device to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The brave new world of artificial intelligence
Date: September 11, 2024 – Source: Dawn
Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a concept confined to science fiction; it is a powerful force reshaping the world as we know it. From accelerating scientific discoveries to altering the fabric of our economies, AI is profoundly impacting every aspect of our lives.
FBR plans digital invoicing, audits as tax gap hits Rs7 trillion
Date: September 15, 2024 – Source: Dawn
The Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) announced plans for reforms including introduction of digital invoicing, desk audits of tax returns, performance-based bonuses, and a documentation prize scheme to encourage compliance.
Can Pakistan tap into the AI boom?
Date: September 17, 2024 – Source: The News
For a country like Pakistan to fully benefit from artificial intelligence (AI), we need a higher level of digitization together with affordable, high speed and widely available connectivity. At the same time, we need to simplify and make government decision-making transparent.
Arrangements for digital payments to IT vendors abroad to be finalized soon
Date: September 24, 2024 – Source: Dawn
Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima announced that arrangements are underway to facilitate digital outward remittances for information technology (IT) companies, saying the move will enable IT exporters to seamlessly pay international suppliers.
Pakistan set to launch first Green-Tech Hub
Date: September 24, 2024 – Source: Express Tribune
Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, Romina Khurshid Alam, announced that Pakistan’s first Green-Tech Hub (G-TH) will soon be launched as a facility to transform the nation’s energy landscape by fostering green technologies, renewable energy, and eco-friendly innovations.
Phygital system gains popularity
Date: September 26, 2024 – Source: Express Tribune
As inflation skyrockets, people who are unable to purchase essential home appliances outright are increasingly turning to a phygital system that offers products on easy installments. This system is particularly appealing to those looking for affordable solutions to acquire necessary items.
Sindh government launches online driving license service for residents
Date: September 29, 2024 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: The Nation
People of Karachi can now apply online for a learning driving license or an international license permit as Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar inaugurated the online facility at the Clifton Driving License Branch.
Will digital banking be successful in Pakistan?
Date: September 30, 2024 – Source: Express Tribune
Pakistan in on track to roll out seamless digital banks in 2025, with at least one of the five financial entities in the digital race claiming near-completion of ‘operational readiness’. Success in the small-scale trial phase would lead to full-scale digital retail banking operations next year.
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OBJECTIVES: This series of monthly report aims to:
- Track developments revolving around the framework of digitalization in Pakistan including policy and advocacy on digital rights, policy enforcements and digital rights violations, covering viewpoints of government, civil society, human rights community including digital rights campaigners, media, citizen journalists and other information practitioners, and regulators of electronic media, internet and telecom sectors, and netizens.
- Monitor the interface between digital rights and Pakistan’s overall legal framework and how developments around them impact freedom of expression and access to information online as well as diversity and pluralism in Pakistan’s digital landscape, cyberspace and internet domains.
- Follow developments around the themes of digital rights, freedom of expression, access to information, privacy, surveillance, data protection, access to internet services, telecom policies, etc.
INFORMATION SOURCES: This report monitors, among others, the following sources of information:
- Government: Federal and provincial cabinets
- Ministries: Related ministries, including Information and Broadcasting, Information Technology (IT) and Telecom, Human Rights, Science and Technology, Commerce and Industry, etc.
- Legislatures: Senate, National Assembly, provincial assemblies, relevant standing committees
- Regulators: Pakistan telecommunications Authority (PTA), Pakistan Electronic Media regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Press Council of Pakistan (PPC), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), etc.
- Global organizations: UN/Unesco, International Media Support (IMS), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Amnesty International (AI), Human Rights Watch (HRW), etc.
- National organizations: Digital Rights Foundation (DRF), BoloBhi, Media Matters for Democracy (MMFD), Institute for Research, Advocacy and Development (IRADA), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), etc.
- Media: Dawn, The News, Express Tribune, The Nation, Pakistan Today, The Friday Times, etc.
- Social Media:Facebook, Twitter, etc.
- Local networks: Journalists Safety Hubs Network, Alliance on Diversity & Pluralism in Media, etc.
- Research groups: Gallup Pakistan, IPSOS Pakistan, etc.
