IHC terms govt’s explanation for slow internet speed ‘unsatisfactory

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has informed the Islamabad High Court that the internet speed has slowed down due to damage to submarine cables.

The deputy attorney general told the IHC that there was no issue with regard to the slow internet speed due to any of the PTA’s installations. The court termed the government’s response unsatisfactory and directed the member technical of the Ministry of Information Technology to appear before it on September 13.

Hearing a petition of senior journalist Hamid Mir, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq remarked that contradictory statements were issued from the federal ministers on the slow internet issue.

Observing that the entire nation was confused, the court directed the law officer to submit the reason for the slow internet in the country. It said it wants to know what is going on in the country, but if the issue involves security or national interest, the government should submit a report for perusal of the court only

The PTA’s lawyer told the court that earlier we found out that two cables had been damaged and now we had got information that the third cable had also been damaged.

The petitioner’s lawyer, Iman Mazari Advocate, said that the internet was working, but the functions of WhatsApp were being affected and audio and video messages were not being sent properly. She said the PTA chairman himself said the web-operating system was being upgraded.

The chief justice said all people who are working in IT are indebted to the internet. The court observed that contradictory statements of ministers were being issued on the slow internet issue as some said there was a firewall issue while others said it was not a firewall issue.

The court observed that the relevant minister makes one statement one day and another the next day, which confuses the entire nation. It further observed that the case was also pending in the Lahore High Court and no one was taking responsibility and explaining whether cables had been damaged or not, and which authority was responsible for it – the PTA or other authority.

The IHC observed that the system can go down for one day, but now it has been 12 to 14 days. It said the business community has been complaining for 10 days, and everyone related to the internet is complaining.