Talal defends internet firewall, stresses regulation of social media

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PM-N) has defended the federal government’s decision to introduce an internet firewall citing the non-implementation of laws and regulations regarding social media due to a lack of relevant technical resources, the capacity of authorities and state institutions.

“There’s a difference between censorship and regulating [social media],” PMLN Senator Talal Chaudhry, whose party is in power in the Centre and Punjab, said while speaking on Geo News’ programme “Geo Pakistan” on Friday.

The senator’s remarks come as netizens across Pakistan have been facing issues due to slow internet speed and access to social media owing to the trial phase of an internet firewall being tested by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s administration.

Defending the incumbent government’s decision, Talal said that the Nawaz Sharif-led party has never supported censorship and has in fact always stood by the principle of freedom of expression.

However, he stressed that people use social media in various aspects of daily life, including banking, and that it is misused by some people for fraud, defamation, blackmailing and the dissemination of anti-Pakistan narratives.

Responding to a question as to why the Centre is keen on introducing a new monitoring mechanism as relevant laws exist, the PML-N leader acknowledged the existence of relevant laws but stressed that investigative agencies, authorities and institutions lack the necessary technical support and resources to implement these laws and regulations.

“No need to take things negatively,” the lawmaker said, adding that the government is responsible for providing technical support and ensuring capacity building of institutions to enable them to address the misuse of social media and the internet.

Furthermore, with regard to concerns and scepticism attached to the the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), 2016 and Punjab’s Defamation Bill 2024, Talal said that the government is ready to talk and take everybody on board on how to further improve these laws.

Defending the incumbent government’s decision, Talal said that the Nawaz Sharif-led party has never supported censorship and has in fact always stood by the principle of freedom of expression.

However, he stressed that people use social media in various aspects of daily life, including banking, and that it is misused by some people for fraud, defamation, blackmailing and the dissemination of anti-Pakistan narratives.

Responding to a question as to why the Centre is keen on introducing a new monitoring mechanism as relevant laws exist, the PML-N leader acknowledged the existence of relevant laws but stressed that investigative agencies, authorities and institutions lack the necessary technical support and resources to implement these laws and regulations.

“No need to take things negatively,” the lawmaker said, adding that the government is responsible for providing technical support and ensuring capacity building of institutions to enable them to address the misuse of social media and the internet.

Furthermore, with regard to concerns and scepticism attached to the the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), 2016 and Punjab’s Defamation Bill 2024, Talal said that the government is ready to talk and take everybody on board on how to further improve these laws.

Speaking on the same show before the PML-N leader, senior journalist Umar Cheema said that several institutions are involved in the internet firewall matter and there’s ambiguity as to their role and authority.Noting that although there’s no clarity as to which laws will govern the firewall, Cheema said that it is likely that it will be functional under the Peca Act.

His remarks hold significance as the government on Thursday constituted special courts to conduct trials of cases under the said legislation after holding consultations with Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.

As per the order issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice, additional district and sessions judges, civil judge East and West have been given the authority to conduct Peca law trials in the special courts.

Also, the judges in these special courts will be nominated in consultation with chief justices of other high courts.

Commenting on the timeline of the operationalisation of the internet firewall, the journalist, while citing sources, said that it would take one to two weeks to complete the “trial” exercise after which “everything would be normal”.

On the issue that the monitoring mechanism would also enable authorities to look into financial transactions, Cheema underscored the concerns of people involved in internet businesses over the government measures and stressed that businesses are discouraged by the “big brother concept” wherein a person/business knows that they are being monitored at all times.

He also said that international transactions might get affected due to enforcement of an internet firewall.