PTA blocked 184 websites/apps, NA told

ISLAMABAD: The Cabinet Division has told the National Assembly that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has blocked 184 websites/apps related to betting/gambling upon receipt of complaint from relevant organizations such as the FIA, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the general public.

The information was provided to the National Assembly in a written reply to a question of Shahida Begum during the Question-Hour. The Cabinet Division said taking action against the individuals involved in these activities was beyond the mandate of PTA.

The federal government has issued an advisory to all institutions, i.e. PEMRA, PTA, PCB, etc. not to engage in any type of contracts with surrogate companies involved in betting/gambling activities. The PTA promptly takes action against any online presence of these platforms, once reported to it. The PTA has received complaints regarding financial losses through these platforms. However, complaints that require investigation are forwarded to the FIA for recommendation.

The NA was told that the PTA was aware of the importance of public awareness to eliminate online content. The authority is continuously making efforts to raise public awareness through seminars, TV shows, digital media, SMS, etc. The PTA is committed to preventing the spread of illegal operations. However, it relies on complaints from relevant stakeholders to take necessary action. These platforms are promptly processed for blocking by the PTA upon receipt of a valid complaint. The authority has developed complaint mechanisms for the general public as well as government organizations to report unlawful online content to the PTA.

In pursuance to Rule 4(3) of Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight and Safeguards) Rules 2021, an online E-portal has been developed and its access has been provided to stakeholder organizations to lodge complaints according to their domain/scope of work. Currently, there are 51 stakeholders including Law Enforcement Agencies, Provincial Home Departments, MoFA, MoI, SECP, SBP, BISP, ministries, armed forces, etc. using the said portal.

In a written reply to a question of Samina Khalid Gurki, Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja told the National Assembly that the government was actively working to enhance internet speed and digital connectivity across the country. She revealed that five new submarine cables (Africa-1, 2Africa, Sea Me We-6, Makran Gulf Gateway-1 and Peace) are expected to be added in the coming years to strengthen Pakistan’s international bandwidth capacity.

“In the past six years, nearly 12,000 new telecom sites have been installed,” she stated, highlighting the significant infrastructure expansion undertaken by the ministry. She said the existing 2G network was being upgraded to 4G, while licensed infrastructure sharing has already been introduced to optimize resource use among telecom providers. “To cater to the annual population growth of around 3% in every province, mobile coverage is being expanded year-on-year,” she said, adding that on average, approximately 445 new sites were installed annually to meet growing connectivity demands. She emphasized preparations for next-generation connectivity, stating: “Availability of additional spectrum for 5G technology is being ensured.”

Shaza justified installation of Fire Wall, saying that cyber-security protection of citizens, entities and institutions is of paramount significance. In addition, it is of utmost importance to protect the data of citizens and entities, as well as blocking websites having objectionable and offensive material pursuant to the laws of Pakistan.