Daily Times

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday expressed displeasure over the state counsel’s non-seriousness and “lack of knowledge” on the matter of the nationwide internet service disruptions that have been a burning issue in the country for weeks.

Justice Ahmad of the LHC took up a petition, seeking the immediate restoration of internet access across the country, filed by a citizen named Noman Sarwar against the “nationwide internet shutdown”.

Millions across the country continue to face trouble accessing internet services due to limited connectivity, particularly while using mobile data in some regions.

The government has attributed the issue to the purported testing of an internet firewall to rein in social media which is equipped with filters that will block unwanted content from reaching a wider audience.

The federal government, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and other entities were nominated as respondents in the case.

At the outset of the hearing, the federal government’s prosecutor Rana Noman sought time from the court to present a detailed report on internet disruption. The court had directed the state counsel to take instructions from the relevant authorities and appear before the court.

Taking the public official to task at his response, Justice Ahmed replied that it was a matter of public interest and the prosecutor’s “seriousness” in it reflected through his “lack of knowledge”.

Later, the court reserved its verdict, with the LHC judge saying that the court would issue appropriate orders for the internet disruptions was a matter of public interest.

According to the petition, the internet and social media applications were shut down in the country without the authorities giving any notice or reason.

“Businesses and every sphere of life are being affected because of the internet’s closure. Shutting down the internet is also a violation of fundamental rights,” the plea said. The plea, filed in the LHC, also demanded revocation of the federal government’s “decision” to shut down the internet. It may be noted that users of the widely used messaging application WhatsApp in Pakistan have also reported frustratingly long delays and failures when uploading and downloading content of all types.