Ministry of IT informs NA: PTA blocked access to X on directives of Ministry of Interior

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications presented the report in the National Assembly that PTA has blocked access to X (Twitter) in pursuance to Ministry of Interior (Mol).

PPP legislator Sharmila Sahibha Faruqi Hashhaam asked whether it was fact that Twitter has been renamed as :X” was suspended some time ago in the whole country and that it was restored accordingly and whether the services of the “X” if was resorted and soon, after that it was again closed for the last two months in the country and what the steps being by the government restore the services of social media “X”.

In the written reply to a question of Sharmila Faruqi, Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunications Ms Shaza Fatima Khawaja stated that PTA has blocked access to X (Twitter) in pursuance to Ministry of Interior (Mol) directions dated 17th February 2024, in accordance with Rule 5(7) of the Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online content (Procedure, oversight, safeguard), Rules, 2021. “So far, no further direction has been received for restoration of X (Twitter),” it was stated in the written reply .

While another report presented in the National Assembly that the government has not introduced any national Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy yet but is working on the draft policy of the Artificial Intelligence.

PPP legislator Dr Nafisa Shah, who asked whether is any Artificial Intelligence Policy frames and actually working in the country and if so, what the main features of Artificial Intelligence policy.

In a reply to Dr Nafisa Shah, the Ministry of Information Technology submitted the report that stated that To apprise the honorable Members of the parliament, it may be noted that the Ministry of IT & Telecom shared a draft of the subject policy document on the Ministry’s Official website in June 2023 to which comments/feedback from various stakeholders, both from public and private sectors have been received.

Furthermore, the report stated that keeping in view the fast growing developments in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) world-over, governments are planning policies and regulations to benefit from the potential of Al and to overcome the associated challenges.

With its enormous potential, the report stated that Artificial Intelligence carries certain risks too, and a number of countries such as Japan, Canada, China and European Union (EU) are planning to regulate the use of Al to help avoid the potential risks.

It further stated that it is therefore, Ministry of Information Technology also initiated the work on draft Al policy to grasp the full potential of this emerging technology and to prepare for the associated challenges.

It stated that The Ministry has also formed an Al Policy Committee that is leading the policy consultation process and will finalize the draft accordingly. The Ministry of Information Technology stated that the Policy Committee consists of experts from industry, academia, civil society and government.

Through another report presented in the National Assembly, the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional training stated that as per Pakistan Institute of Education statistics 2021-22 the dropout rate in whole Islamabad Capital Territory is Primary 7% Middle 14% and High 28%.

Detailing about the measures which have been taken by FDE to reduce number of drop out children from schools, includes Flexible admission policy is issued to admit maximum, number of students as per intake capacity of the Institution, Age relaxation of three months in the upper age limit has been made for admission in Class-Prep and one, No tuition fee is being charged in all educational institutions upto Class-X, Free textbooks are being provided to the students from Class Prep to X, Transport facility is provided to students where feasible and Free meal program has been started in FDE institutions. Presently, free meal is offered in 85 institutions.

It was informed that the subsidized higher education (BS/ADP) is provided in the colleges of FDE. While through another report, Ministry of Federal Education and Professional training stated that Directorate General of Religious Education (DGRE) under the the administrative control of Federal Education has registered 17280 Madaris.

Presenting the province, wise details, the Ministry of Federal Education , it stated that the 977 Madaris in Punjab, 2399 Madaris in Sindh, 3869 Madaris in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 530 Madaris in Balochistan, 426 in Azad Jummu and Kashmir, 84 in Gilgit Baltistan and 195 in Islamabad Capital Territory.

It further stated that Ministry of Education has initiated process to convert DGRE project into an attached department to ensure continues process of Madaris Registration. Monitoring, facilitation and their mainstreaming by imparting contemporary education and skills.