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February 11, 2025 - Comments Off on Government, Law Enforcement Crack Down on Illegal SIM Markets

Government, Law Enforcement Crack Down on Illegal SIM Markets

Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) launched what is being called a nationwide crackdown on the illegal sales of “pre-activated” foreign SIMs in markets in major cities across the country.

The authorities said that these SIMs were being used for fraud, “unverified communications” and other criminal activities, and that their sale posed a threat to public or national security, particularly in regards to their lack of traceability.

February 11, 2025 - Comments Off on PECA Amendment Act riddled with errors, say lawyers

PECA Amendment Act riddled with errors, say lawyers

The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act or PECA Amendments 2025, rushed into law earlier this year, is replete with errors that include incorrect section numbering and contradictory definitions, the Islamabad High Court was told, during a hearing filed by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and other media professionals.

Imran Shafique, a lawyer working on behalf of the petition filers, argued that the speed at which the PECA Amendments had been passed meant that not only were sections numbered incorrectly, but that errors such as, for example “complainant” being defined more than once twice, resulted in the Act “contradicting itself”, according to The News International. Mr. Shafique also said that the “complaint authority” which was established through PECA was already in existence under the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority. Islamabad High Court Bar Association President Riyasat Ali Azad also argued that the PECA Amendment Act was in violation of Articles 19 and 19A of the Constitution of Pakistan.

February 11, 2025 - Comments Off on Govt’s Ignite National Tech Fund website hacked, quickly restored.

Govt’s Ignite National Tech Fund website hacked, quickly restored.

The website of the Ignite National Tech Fund, a government-backed startup incubator, was hacked on Monday evening, raising serious concerns about the government and the security of its websites and other platforms. The hacking of the website resulted in the website being inaccessible – or accessible with great difficulty – for several hours, with animated cartoons being used to break into the website. Ignite officials claimed that not only had the website been restored, however, but that security measures had been fortified in response.

What Ignite and other government officials were not able to publicly discuss, however, were the identity of the parties responsible for the hack, or what weaknesses in the system had been exploited. Whether this was due to an in-depth investigation yet to be undertaken, or other reasons pertaining to security, has yet to be seen.

February 11, 2025 - Comments Off on Can Pakistan’s digital Economy Hit US$75 Billion?

Can Pakistan’s digital Economy Hit US$75 Billion?

Pakistan’s digital economy could reach a value of US$75 billion, according to the head of Jazz, one of Pakistan’s major telecoms providers. Amer Ibrahim, Jazz’s Chief Executive Officer made the statement in a presentation at the World Economic Forus 2025, held in Davos, Switzerland. This assertion was based on investments in “broadband infrastructure, fintech innovations, and artificial intelligence”, according to Samaa TV. He also emphasized the role of digital financial inclusion in Pakistan’s economic roadmap, particularly in regards to how “digital infrastructure improvements could enhance access to financial services and promote economic participation across various segments of society.”

February 10, 2025 - Comments Off on Pakistan committed to digital transparency, accountability and Ethical AI: IT Minister

Pakistan committed to digital transparency, accountability and Ethical AI: IT Minister

Pakistan’s IT Minister discussed the importance of closing the “digital divide” by promoting and engaging in “inclusive policies and capacity-building initiatives”, as well as the importance of “data privacy, security, and fairness in artificial intelligence (AI) systems”, in a report by Dawn.

Speaking at the Leap 2025 technology conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan’s Minister for Information Technology and Telecom, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, discussed what she saw as the “transformative impact of AI”, and pushed for “strong regulatory frameworks to ensure AI benefits all segments of society”. The Minister also called for that a global framework that ensured that any wide-scale rolling out of AI was done so with ethical standards to be incorporated and enforced – something that she said was a goal behind Pakistan’s own ongoing development of an AI policy.

The need to ensure that any usage of AI had a low carbon footprint was also raised - a matter of controversy, as one criticism among many regarding AI has been the drastic consumption of water and other energy resources by companies such as OpenAI in regards to AI.

February 7, 2025 - Comments Off on Internet Disruptions and Shutdowns In January

Internet Disruptions and Shutdowns In January

Between January 11 and February 7, 2025, Pakistan continued to experience internet disruptions and censorship, as well as policy developments that severely impacted digital rights. Major cities like Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore saw heightened restrictions, with social media throttling and content censorship, particularly during political protests and demonstrations. Journalists and digital rights activists faced increasing pressure as the government introduced stricter regulations on online content.

The passage of a controversial law criminalizing “misleading” online content sparked nationwide protests, led by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ). Meanwhile, ongoing internet slowdowns forced several multinational companies to reconsider operations in Pakistan, raising concerns about economic impacts.

February 4, 2025 - Comments Off on PECA Amendments Challenged, Petition Filed With Supreme Court

PECA Amendments Challenged, Petition Filed With Supreme Court

A petition against the recently passed Amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (PECA) has been filed with Pakistan’s Supreme High Court (SC), arguing that the amendments violate human rights and are not consistent with the Constitution of Pakistan. Filed by a citizen, Muhammad Qayyum Khan, the petition asserts that rights to free expression have been undermined by the PECA and its amendments, and that they must come under review by the Supreme Court. The President of Pakistan, Speaker of the National Assembly, Chairman of the Senate, and Secretary of Law have been included as respondents to the case by the petitioner.

The petition also states that:

"In the national interest of peace and stability, it is humbly requested that a full court bench review the amendment and the existing law in light of our fundamental right to express opinions and share information in society”.

 

February 4, 2025 - Comments Off on Asia Internet Coalition trade body expresses concern over PECA Amendments

Asia Internet Coalition trade body expresses concern over PECA Amendments

The Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) has expressed deep  “concerns” over the recently passed “Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025”. A tech industry body made up of companies such as Google, Apple, Facebook, LinkedIn, Amazon, and Cloudfare among others, the AIC claimed that the amendments “would have a significant impact on people’s digital rights and freedoms, as well as far-reaching implications for Pakistan’s digital economy”, and called upon the Government of Pakistan to:

“...pause the legislative process and initiate a genuine, transparent, inclusive, and comprehensive public consultation process with stakeholders, including industry, civil society, and the public, to ensure the amendments are in line with established human rights norms on privacy and freedom of expression and does not stifle economic growth and innovation.”

The statement by the AIC can be found here, in PDF format: https://aicasia.org/download/1187/

February 4, 2025 - Comments Off on Starlink expected to operate in Pakistan by Summer 2025: Government

Starlink expected to operate in Pakistan by Summer 2025: Government

Starlink, the satellite internet network owned by Elon Musk, is expected begin operations in Pakistan by June of 2025, according to the government, as 90% of the registration process has been completed. In order to operate in Pakistan, low earth orbit (LEO) satellite operators must register with the Pakistan Space Regulatory Board after which the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority will issue licenses if successful. According to news reports, Starlink will meet the June 2025 operational target.

February 3, 2025 - Comments Off on PECA Amendments Essential to tackling “fake news”: Government

PECA Amendments Essential to tackling “fake news”: Government

The recently passed amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) are necessary to tackle disinformation or “fake news”, claimed Attaullah Tarar, the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting. Tarar argued that the amendments were essential as “people share content without verifying its authenticity. This reckless behavior has escalated to the point where people don’t hesitate to label others as infidels.”

Tarar also said that he invited critics of the PECA Amendments to engage with him and with PECA Joint Action Committee on PECA, claiming that if any sections are deemed inconsistent with fundamental rights, we are open to suggestions”.