PTA Clarifies Discontinuation of Internet Traffic Monitoring Services
On October 26, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced that telecom operators in Pakistan discontinued using Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) services in mid-2023. The services, which were used to block unauthorized content on the Internet, were halted following public concerns over the purpose and potential misuse of the technology.
The PTA clarified that telecom operators had procured these services to block certain content, including grey traffic and illegal websites. The PTA said, “The services procured through a contract by telecom operators as per applicable regulatory regime, have already ceased in mid-2023. The purpose of procuring services was for blocking of grey traffic, pornographic/blasphemous web contents.”
The PTA also emphasized its commitment to responsible technology use within the framework of Pakistan’s telecommunication laws. It stressed that “misuse of technology contrary to human rights” would not be tolerated and that any use of such services must be “within the applicable legal framework.”
The PTA’s clarification follows media reports regarding Canada-based company Sandvine, an internet traffic monitoring and management technology developer. Sandvine had previously been sanctioned by the U.S. over concerns of “mass web-monitoring and censorship,” with fears that its technology could be used to target human rights activists and dissidents. Sandvine was later removed from the U.S. ban list.
In Pakistan, Sandvine became part of the public discussion in 2019 when a government minister disclosed in the National Assembly that the PTA had contacted Sandvine and another company to provide equipment for “monitoring grey traffic,” which refers to the illegal routing of voice calls to avoid taxes and fees. The PTA reiterated that its use of DPI services was focused on controlling unauthorized content and was conducted in compliance with Pakistan’s regulatory requirements.
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