During a National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology meeting, Sharmila Farooqi, a member of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), voiced her frustration over ongoing internet disruptions. She accused the government of neglecting to resolve the persistent issues, highlighting the impact on e-commerce businesses, including her husband’s. Farooqi pointed out that internet outages often coincided with political protests and questioned whether the government was misleading the public.
Federal Minister for IT Syed Aminul Haque chaired the session, where State Minister for IT Sheza Fatima Khawaja defended the government’s position. Khawaja cited national security concerns, particularly in light of recent terrorist incidents, and suggested that internet surveillance in certain areas was necessary. She argued that internet issues were being resolved, citing the country’s export growth despite the disruptions and plans to introduce satellite internet via Starlink.
Farooqi, however, rejected these reassurances, expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of progress after multiple meetings. She demanded transparency from the government, emphasizing the need for honesty about security concerns. MQM’s Mustafa Kamal added that it was the government’s responsibility to address the public’s concerns.
The meeting concluded with calls for clearer communication and tangible solutions to address the ongoing internet issues affecting the public.
