ISLAMABAD: The trial run of a firewall has slowed down the internet across Pakistan, officials privy to the development have confirmed to local media on Thursday.
However, they added, internet traffic will return to its normal speed once the trial is over. The government allocated more than Rs30 billion in the budget for the procurement and installation of this system.
The allocation was made to the Ministry of Information Technology; however, the execution of this project is being done from another source. The MoIT’s role is not more than a post office in the installation of the new system.
An official said that work on the firewall has been in progress since January which includes the purchase of the firewall and its installation.
The commissioning of the system will take some weeks. When asked if the national filter will affect internet-based businesses, he the businesses are not the target of the system.
Another official said that its focus would be on social media influencers which, the government thinks, are involved in spreading false news. The objective is to reduce their reach by blocking their content or making it less accessible.
Such media influencers are already being taken to task through the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act 2016 and the courts are also being established to try those held accused under this law.
While the firewall is now at the trial stage, an advertisement two weeks ago from the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority appeared in the media suggesting as if the paperwork to document this purchase is yet to begin.
However, a PTA spokesperson clarified that this is a separate firewall which leaves one wonder as to how much funds are being spent for having more than one filter.
He said the tender is meant for the procurement of firewalls intended for sole use on PTA’s internal IT infrastructure.
“Specifically, the PTA has issued a tender for the acquisition of four Next-Generation Firewalls and two Web Application Firewalls. This move is to ensure robust, layered security for PTA’s internal and application only,” he said.
