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December 20, 2024 - Comments Off on NADRA to roll out national facial biometrics in 2025”

NADRA to roll out national facial biometrics in 2025”

Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) will be rolling out facial biometric verification via NADRA registration centres and the Pak-IK mobile app, starting from January 15, 2025. The initiative arose out of a consultative conference held by NADRA and other regulatory bodies, to discuss biometric and identity verification advances, and how Pakistan’s government can update its own systems. According to NADRA’s chairman, who spoke at the conference, incorporating newer technologies such as facial biometrics would aid the elderly and other groups that may have difficulty with the current system, whether due to faded fingerprinted or other issues.

Conference participants also discussed the potential of iris recognition as a prospective identity verification tool in the future, as well as the National Registration and Biometric Policy Framework.

December 19, 2024 - Comments Off on Internet disruptions could “persist indefinitely”

Internet disruptions could “persist indefinitely”

The government is unable to “give a time frame” as to when the internet will face a reduction in disruptions, including shutdowns and throttling, said Parliamen­tary Secretary for Cabinet Secretariat Sajid Mehdi, this Wednesday. Speaking during “Question Hour”, Secretary Mehdi stated that ongoing internet disruptions were due to measures being taken by the Interior Ministry to strengthen security measures, which was why neither “the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) nor the cabinet division” could provide a clear timeline.

 

Members of the National Assembly raised concerns about the impact of the state of internet disruption, causing billions in rupees in terms of business losses, academic activities being impacted, as well the inability to open images, video or voice-based messages in WhatsApp. While some conceded the need for security, and condemned “the use of digital space for terrorism and harassment”, questions were asked as to what is taking so long regarding the national “firewall”, and, in regards to proposed legislation such as the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill, “[what] digital Pakistan are we talking about when there is no internet facility?”

December 19, 2024 - Comments Off on DRF researchers comment on increasing internet censorship in Pakistan

DRF researchers comment on increasing internet censorship in Pakistan

Pakistan is experiencing a rise in internet censorship, with bans and restrictions becoming increasingly sophisticated, a recent piece by Index on Censorship discussed. DRF researcher and activist Anam Baloch highlighted how these measures often go undetected, as entire platforms are not always blocked.

“Recently, WhatsApp and Instagram issues were reported but when we tested [them] on OONI [Open Observatory of Network Interference] they were fine because they were not blocking entire platforms,” Baloch told Index.

DRF researcher Seerat Khan warned that such restrictions are likely to escalate, reflecting global authoritarian trends. “These restrictions will only increase. They aren’t something that will go away with time,” she said. Khan emphasised that freedom of expression is intrinsically tied to other fundamental rights like access to information and freedom of assembly. “All these freedoms are under attack,” she added. With growing constraints, there’s diminishing space to challenge these measures, leaving citizens with fewer avenues for resistance.

December 19, 2024 - Comments Off on Digital Nation Pakistan Bill deferred for further deliberation

Digital Nation Pakistan Bill deferred for further deliberation

Emphasising its importance, “The Digital Nation Pakistan Bill, 2024” was postponed by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology & Telecommunication on Monday for further deliberations. The committee discussed the Bill at length under the Chairmanship of Syed Amin-ul-Haq, MNA at the Ministry of IT&T. The Chairman stated that all committee members wanted sufficient time to discuss the Bill, and invited members to share their thoughts and concerns. Shaza Fatima Khawaja mentioned the importance of digitalisation for Pakistan, noting that technology does not wait for anyone. Some parliamentarians called for expert involvement and greater transparency with stakeholder consultations. It was highlighted by the State Minister for IT&T that National Digitalisation is a complicated and expensive project, involving international commitments, making it necessary for each step of the process to be followed through in a timely manner.

December 18, 2024 - Comments Off on DRF highlights disinformation on platforms during 2024 elections in new report

DRF highlights disinformation on platforms during 2024 elections in new report

Digital Rights Foundation has released its latest report, “Platforms At The Polls”, examining social media’s role during Pakistan’s 2024 General Elections. The report focuses on TikTok, Facebook/Instagram, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter), analysing political ad spending and harmful content from November 2023 to March 2024.

 

Political parties spent a collective PKR 54 million on Meta platforms, with PTI leading at PKR 25 million. However, transparency around ad spending was limited to Meta, as other platforms offered no details on this subject. The report also documented 225 instances of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) and disinformation, with PML-N targeted in 76 gendered disinformation posts, followed by PTI (61) and PPP (19).

 

The report found that the platforms reviewed failed to adequately enforce content moderation. DRF urges tech companies to prioritise fair practices globally, especially outside the Global North, to combat disinformation and promote electoral integrity.

 

The full report is available to read at https://digitalrightsfoundation.pk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Platforms-at-the-Polls.pdf.

December 17, 2024 - Comments Off on Govt admits internet disruption due to “security” concerns

Govt admits internet disruption due to “security” concerns

The government has conceded that it has been responsible for the continued throttling and shutdowns of the internet in Pakistan. Speaking on behalf of the government in the National Assembly, Parliamentary Secretary for Cabinet Secretariat Sajid Mehdi highlighted “great security threats” while responding to concerns raised on slow internet and underscored how the government “cannot leave it [social media] unbridled like other countries”. He also claimed that the issue of slow internet would be resolved after the auction of 5G spectrum by April 2025.Meanwhile, PTI Opposition leader Omar Ayub accused the government of blocking social media due to their party’s popularity. He also accused the intelligence agencies for interfering in affairs of the PTA while talking about slow internet speeds.

December 17, 2024 - Comments Off on More than 91% of Pakistan has access to cellular services: PTA

More than 91% of Pakistan has access to cellular services: PTA

More than 91 percent of Pakistan’s population now has access to cellular services, while all areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan have telecom coverage, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) claimed in its Annual Report 2023-2024, released this Monday. The PTA also reported a record-breaking PKR 955 billion in revenues during the 2023-2024 Financial Year, with an average revenue of PKR 302 per month, per user, between April-June 2024. Concerning the impending nation-wide launch of 5G services, however, the PTA highlighted that there would be financial and logistical barriers to total implementation, especially in more remote regions of Pakistan.

December 16, 2024 - Comments Off on No plans to block VPNs despite technical capacity, PTA Chairman

No plans to block VPNs despite technical capacity, PTA Chairman

The government has the technical capability to block VPNs but will not do so, the chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) claimed at an event. The PTA had earlier declared November 30 to be the deadline for VPN registrations, with non-registered VPN connections to be blocked from 01 December. This was overturned and the ban rescinded, after an initial statement that the deadline would be extended, after the Ministry of Law could not give legal cover to the ban. Though the PTA has not provided an official statement as to why the ban was rescinded, media outlets have quoted anonymous sources within the government who pointed towards the legal ambiguities in this regard.

The proposed amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) might help the government in tackling the government’s legal trouble with blocking VPNs in the future.

December 16, 2024 - Comments Off on Bill to centralise citizen’s data tabled in the National Assembly

Bill to centralise citizen’s data tabled in the National Assembly

The government of Pakistan has proposed the “Digital Nation Pakistan Bill, 2024”, to centralise the data of Pakistani citizens, into a unified “digital ID”, introducing the bill in the National Assembly. Tabled by the Minister of State for  IT and Telecom Shaza Khawaja, the bill also establishes two agencies as part of the data centralisation drive: the National Digital Commission (NDC), and the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA).

The NDC – headed by the Prime Minister, chief ministers and heads of government departments – would be tasked with developing the “required policy, provide governance and ensure necessary coordination amongst federal, provincial, and sectoral bodies” in regards to the data of citizens. The PDA, according to the report, would be led by “top industry experts”, and “would develop, implement, monitor and periodically update the national digital masterplan, including sectoral plans and implementation plans, to ensure alignment with the strategic guidelines of the NDC.” News reports pertaining to the bill and the agencies that it creates, however, do not go into details as to how the data centralisation would take place. The reports do not discuss the safety of that data, or the privacy of citizens – not just in terms of the right to privacy, but a matter of concern given that the data of at least 2.7 million Pakistanis stored with NADRA had been leaked over a five year period.

December 15, 2024 - Comments Off on Govt expected to push amendments to expand PECA powers this week

Govt expected to push amendments to expand PECA powers this week

The Pakistan government is pushing to have amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) tabled “as early as” this week (December 16-20), that would create a new authority body with controversially broad powers to block access to social media and to specific online content. As reported upon earlier in December, the amendments are part of the government’s strategy to tackle what it regards as “fake news”.

The proposed PECA amendments include the creation of a Pakistan Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA), which would, according to Human Rights Watch, “be authorised to prosecute people for sharing or accessing prohibited content, and take action against social media platforms that host such content.”

In addition to the creation of DRPA – to replace the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) concerning the monitoring of social media content - the amendments also introduce language to expand upon and redefine terms. For instance, the term “Social media platform”now includes the use of any software or tools that would be used to access social media platforms. The redefining of “Social media” points to the government potentially giving itself legal power to block tools such VPNs, after the PTA ban on VPNs was blocked by an opinion from the Ministry of Law.