• December 2, 2018
• Digital Media

ISLAMABAD: As soon as the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) implemented its new mobile phone registration system, some users complained of being unable to connect to their networks. “There is a message that reads that mobile network is unavailable though signals are showing. I have not been able to make and receive calls the whole day,” […]

• November 29, 2018
• Digital Media

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has announced that Dec 1 is the deadline after which it will implement its new mechanism to counter the spread of smuggled mobile phones in the country. The PTA maintains that it has developed a system using indigenous technology — the Device Identification Regis­tration and Blocking System (DIRBS) — […]

• November 24, 2018
• Digital Media, New Media

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee has declared that the suspension of internet services in parts of Balochistan and tribal districts is a denial of basic rights of citizens. The sub-committee was constituted to take up with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) the matter of suspension of telecom services in three districts of Balochistan — Kalat, Awaran and […]

• November 12, 2018
• Digital Media, New Media

ISLAMABAD: Around 69pc Pakistani users between the ages of 15 and 65 do not know what the internet is, revealed an information communication technology (ICT)-based survey launched last week. The survey was conducted by LirneAsia, a think-tank based in Sri Lanka that carries out research on information communication technology. The report is based on a […]

• November 10, 2018
• Digital Media, New Media

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) chairman to take measures to provide assistance to the law enforcement agencies in tracking down culprits in cybercrime cases. The direction came on the plea of a woman who had approached the SHC against the alleged inaction of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) […]

• March 2, 2017
• Arts and Entertainment, Freedom of Expression, Front Page, Media Ethics, Television

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Wednesday issued a warning to 8XM music channel for exhibiting an indecent and objectionable song on February 26 in violation of the code of conduct implemented on the Supreme Court’s directives. According to a Pemra press release issued here, the authority received countless complaints against the channel […]

• February 2, 2016
• Information Technology

KARACHI: The number of broadband subscriptions in the country surpassed 25 million for the first time as cellular service providers sold more than one-and-a-half million high-speed mobile internet connections in December 2015, according to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The number of mobile broadband connections in the country increased to 26.3 million at the end of […]

• December 12, 2015
• Digital Media

ISLAMABAD – National Assembly yesterday passed Cyber Crime Bill 2015 with majority vote paving the way for awarding up to 14 years imprisonment and fine upto Rs 50 million for wrongful use of internet to threaten people, spread panic and chaos by its misuse and for spreading religious hatred. When the Chairman of the National […]

• December 7, 2015
• Digital Media, Information Technology

Islamabad – After a ban of almost three years, video sharing website Youtube is once again accessible in many parts of the country. The cities where the video sharing site is operational only in three big cities – Karachi, Islamabad and Rawalpindi. YouTube website has been blocked in Pakistan since September, 2012, when the website […]

• December 1, 2015
• Information Technology

ISLAMABAD – BlackBerry has announced exiting from Pakistan by the end of this year. “After December 30, BlackBerry will no longer operate in Pakistan, said Company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) Marty Beard, on company’s blog. The Canadian telecom services provider said that the decision was made as it did not wanted to compromise on privacy […]

• April 20, 2015
• Digital Media, Information Technology, New Media

KARACHI: While the internet users in Pakistan still await the return of YouTube, the government looks to usher in the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (PEC) 2015. “The government has not even consulted the relevant parties”, said Pakistan Software Houses Association (Pasha) president Jehan Ara, who is of the opinion that the draft law […]

• April 16, 2015
• Digital Media, Information Technology

ISLAMABAD: As a parliamentary panel prepares to take up government proposed legislation on cyber terrorism on Thursday (today), IPPs, entrepreneurs and civil society called it an attempt to put a ‘gag’ on freedom of expression and to give the spy agencies unbridled powers. Headed by Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar, the son-in-law of Prime Minister Nawaz […]

• April 12, 2015
• Information Technology

Today (April 12, 2015) is the last day for biometric verification of SIMs. According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), unverified SIMs would be blocked from Monday. Meanwhile, the PTA has also laid down a procedure for the verification of SIMs of Overseas Pakistanis. For those SIMs which are present in Pakistan and their owners […]

• April 11, 2015
• Digital Media, Information Technology

KARACHI: There is a strong likelihood that cellular mobile operators (CMOs) will lose close to 20 million subscriptions as a result of the ongoing drive for biometric re-verification of subscriber identity module (SIM) cards, which is ending on April 12. As part of its National Action Plan to counter terrorism, the government had directed CMOs […]