Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said on Wednesday that national security is the top priority of the government as lawmakers raised concerns over the persistent internet disruptions.
Speaking on the floor of the Parliament, the minister acknowledged some challenges to internet users’ experience because of the internet congestion and limited spectrum availability.
She said social media platform X was closed due to security concerns on the advice of the Interior Ministry.
Shaza further said the government is trying hard to localise the matter pertaining to the security concerns to avoid mass level shutting down of internet and mobile services.
Internet services face disruption again in Pakistan
“National security is the top priority and we have to strengthen the cyber security of the country to prevent cyber-attacks, data leakage, and digital strikes from hostile elements and states,” she told the lawmakers.
Pakistan remains engulfed in shutdown of mobile services and disruption in internet services, while X (formerly Twitter) remains blocked in the country.
The country’s information technology sector suffers losses of more than one million dollars per hour on account of internet shutdown in the country, according to Sajjad Mustafa Syed, chairman of Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA).
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