• January 21, 2025
• Information Technology

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) is set to discontinue its Pak ID website. Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi declared that from January 17, all services provided by NADRA would be accessible exclusively through a newly improved mobile app. The decision comes in the wake of numerous incidents involving fraudulent activities where fake websites […]

• January 14, 2025
• Information Technology

Shaza Fatima Khawaja, the Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecom, met with a delegation from Starlink on January 7 to discuss the progress of their licensing. Starlink, an Elon Musk-owned company renowned for its cutting-edge Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, has completed registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). However, the company is awaiting […]

• January 14, 2025
• Access to Information, Information Technology

On January 7, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar asserted that the country boasts superior and more affordable internet services than many other countries globally. Speaking at the inauguration of the Media Cricket League 2025, Tarar countered claims of costly internet outages, citing improvements and dismissing criticisms as being politicised without substantiation. “There were a few glitches […]

• January 14, 2025
• Information Technology

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) on January 9 said that additional bandwidth had been acquired to deal with slow internet speeds in  Pakistan. PTCL spokesperson Aamir Pasha confirmed that they had “added additional bandwidth which has majorly resolved [the] internet slowness issue.” He added: “We expect complete resolution over the next few days. PTA and PTCL are working diligently […]

• January 14, 2025
• Information Technology

Persistent internet slowdowns in Pakistan have compelled WhatsApp, one of the world’s widely used messaging platforms, to relocate its servers outside the country, ARY News reported. According to the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA), WhatsApp’s decision to shift its Content Delivery Network (CDN) abroad caused connectivity challenges for users. The country faced recurring internet disruptions in the past year. Data […]

• January 14, 2025
• Information Technology

The federal cabinet has approved an amendment to the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-Organisation) Act, 1996, authorising the federal government to determine the pay and allowances of the chairman and members of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The decision was made following audit objections to the allowances being paid to PTA officials. Auditors noted that the chairman and members […]

• January 7, 2025
• Access to Information, Information Technology

After a suspension of more than 20 hours, cellular and internet services were fully restored in Quetta on January 6. The Balochistan government had imposed the two-day suspension following a call for a shutter-down strike by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in protest against alleged rigging during the re-polling for the PB-45 Quetta VIII constituency. The strike was organized by JUI-F […]

• January 7, 2025
• Access to Information, Information Technology

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has criticized the government for throttling the internet, accusing officials of targeting political opposition while causing significant economic losses. Citing a Top10VPN.com report, PTI’s Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram said that Pakistan incurred $1.62 billion in losses in 2024, the highest globally due to internet shutdowns. Pakistan recorded the highest economic […]

• January 7, 2025
• Information Technology

Internet users across Pakistan experienced disruptions following a fault near Qatar in the Asia-Africa-Europe-1 (AAE-1) submarine cable, one of the seven internet cables landing in Pakistan. The issue, which emerged on the evening of January 2, has led to noticeably slower browsing speeds nationwide. Efforts are currently underway to resolve the issue, though network speeds […]

• January 3, 2025
• Information Technology

The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on IT and Telecommunications, chaired by Federal Information and Technology (IT) Minister Syed Aminul Haq, has deferred the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill following a meeting on January 2. Members of the committee criticized the country’s inadequate internet infrastructure and recurring service disruptions. During the session, committee member Sharmila Farooqi expressed frustration over the lack […]

• January 3, 2025
• Information Technology

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (Retd) Hafeezur Rehman on January 1 acknowledged that blocking internet access remains a “legal grey area.” The PTA chairman said the law and interior ministries should provide the “final legal opinion” on the matter. During a Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology meeting, key issues surrounding internet governance, VPN […]

• January 2, 2025
• Information Technology

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced on January 2 that efforts are underway to repair a fault in the undersea Africa-Asia-Europe (AAE)-1 cable, cautioning that users across the country may experience disruptions in internet services. PTA acknowledged, “This may impact internet and broadband user experience across Pakistan. The concerned teams are working to fix the fault”.  The AAE-1 […]

• January 1, 2025
• Information Technology

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ruled against Zong in its appeal, ordering the telecom company to refund over Rs2 billion to its customers. The ruling upholds an earlier decision by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) that directed Zong to return Rs2.02 billion wrongfully charged for service and maintenance fees between April 26, 2019, and […]

• January 1, 2025
• Information Technology

Pakistan experienced 1,861 hours of internet shutdowns in 2024, ranking second globally after Myanmar, according to Top10VPN. These disruptions impacted 83 million users and led to an estimated $351 million in economic losses. The duration marked a 619% increase from 2023, when shutdowns lasted 259 hours, moving Pakistan from seventh to second globally. The Pakistan Software Houses […]