Category: National

The Chairman of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Major General (r) Hafeez ur Rehman, has said in a statement that successive governments repeatedly asked them to shut down the internet. 

The Senate’s Standing Committee on Information Technology held a meeting with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s Chairman, Major General (r) Hafeez ur Rehman, where a clash between JUI-F Senator Ghulam Murtaza and the Chairman was witnessed by attendees. 

The meeting, held to review internet issues in the country, was presided over by PPP Senator Palwasha Khan. 

The Ministry of IT’s legal member and PTA Chairman briefed the committee about the causes and solutions of internet issues in the country. 

The PTA Chief told the committee that the authority receives more than 500 complaints daily about indecent content on social media platforms. Resultantly, PTA asks these social media platforms to block the reported content, which they do with 80 percent of such content. 

During the meeting, a member of the committee, Senator Kamran Murtaza, asked the PTA chief, “Where is it written in its act that the PTA can close the internet in a specific area?”

A member of the legal team of IT ministry acquiesced that “PTA act does not specify any specific area.” 

However, the PTA chairman interjected to say, “It is written in the rules that the Ministry of Interior can direct PTA to block of internet services.”

To this, Senator Kamran Murtaza asked that if t is not written in the law, then how can PTA block the internet. 

Chairman PTA replied, “If it is wrong then why is the government directing PTA to block internet services for the last 9 years,” while adding, “I can even quote date and time of all the times Internet was shut down on government’s direction.” 

“I can tell you the date and time when the internet was blocked during the last nine years on the orders of the governments,” Chairman PTA told Senators. 

“We are not the government, we are the parliament,”  Senator Kamran Murtaza commented. 

To this Chairman, PTA said, “All of you have been in government one time or another.” 

Senator Humayun Mehmand participated in the conversation to state: “Even in the rules regarding the blocking of the internet, only content is mentioned.”

Special Secretary Ministry of IT told him that if the government decides to block online content in an area, then it is blocked by shutting down the internet in the area.

PTA Chairman here stated:  “Since 2016, whenever the Interior Ministry sends us an intimation, the internet is shut down.”

“This practice was going on before I joined the post of chairman. I have learned for the first time that shutting down the internet is illegal,” Chairman PTA exclaimed.

However, he mentioned that, “The final legal opinion in this regard can only be given by Ministry of Law and Interior Ministry.”

Hafeez ur Rehman told the committee that the social media apps were also blocked several times on orders of the Supreme Court and High Court. 

Senator Kamran Murtaza told IT Ministry members present in the meeting that if the internet is blocked on the Supreme Court’s decision, then the IT Ministry should file a review petition stating that it is against the rules.

The government has decided to make fingerprints and photographs of children above the age of 10 a mandatory part of Form B, also known as the Child Registration Certificate (CRC).

The federal government is aiming to further streamline the process of obtaining B-Forms to prevent identity theft and misuse of information.

Maryam Nawaz of Geo News reports that the implementation will be carried out in phases. In the first phase, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Passport Department will collect biometric data and photographs of all children aged 10 to 18.

Ministry of Interior’s spokesperson has said that the parents or legal guardians of the children are required to accompany them and bring along their CNICs and the child’s computerised birth certificate when coming to apply for the B-form — “special registration certificate” — in any NADRA centre.

The first phase will begin across the country on January 15.

After these changes are made, children in the specified age group must present the updated B-Form when applying for new passports.

The older version of the B-Form, without fingerprints and photographs, will no longer be acceptable. An interior ministry spokesperson said that NADRA will take further steps to align its identification system with provincial civil registration management systems and strengthen services through the Pak-ID mobile app.

In the future the ministry intends to include the introduction of iris scans and biometric facilities at the level of union councils to enhance the national identification process.

Additionally, the government is also planning to issue digital IDs to all citizens as a part of its broader digital transformation strategy.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the steps taken by Nadra and the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports while emphasising that the initiative will combat crimes pertaining to fake ID creation, illegal passport acquisition, and human trafficking.

After weeks of violence, the warring tribes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Kurram district have signed a peace agreement. 

According to reports, the Grand Peace Jirga, under the supervision of government officials, has finally concluded in Kohat with both parties signing a peace agreement.

Jirga member Malik Sawab Khan, in a statement, confirmed that the peace agreement had been signed by 45 people from each group.

The signatures came after both sides agreed upon 14 points regarding ceasefire and surrender of illegal arms.

The signatories are also required to dismantle the warfront and checkposts that were used to attack convoys over the past two months.

Additionally, the Jirga member announced that plans were being made to open roads and establish peace in the region, whereas those who violated the agreement will be handed over to the government immediately.

They also assured the government of cooperation with law enforcement agencies to ensure peace and order.

Under the agreement, reparations will also be made for the damage inflicted during the conflict.

Toll taxes for highways and motorways have been increased to achieve a revenue target of Rs102 billion by the end of the ongoing fiscal year, it has emerged.

As per the details, the National Highways Authority (NHA) has announced the increase in toll taxes, which will come into effect on January 5.

Reports said that the hike has come for the third time in FY2024-25 against a revenue collection of Rs64 billion in FY2023-24.

The toll hike will affect multiple key routes, including the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway (M-1), Lahore-Abdul Hakeem Motorway (M3), Pindi Bhattian-Faisalabad-Multan Motorway (M4), Multan-Sukkur Motorway (M5), D I Khan-Hakla Motorway (M14) and the Mansehra Expressway.

As per the revised toll prices, motorists travelling on the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway (M1) will pay a toll of Rs500 against the previous Rs460. Wagons will now be charged Rs750.

For trucks, the toll tax will be increased from Rs1,950 to Rs2,300, whereas buses will face an increase from Rs1,300 to Rs1,450.

On the M-3 motorway, the toll tax for cars has jumped from Rs650 to Rs700. Additionally, on the M-4 motorway from Pindi Bhattian to Faisalabad and Multan, the toll tax has risen from Rs850 to Rs950. 

The toll tax to be paid on the M-5 motorway from Sukkur to Multan has increased from Rs1,050 to Rs1,100. On the M-14 motorway from Dera Ismail Khan to Hakla, the toll tax is now Rs600.

The toll for cars will increase from Rs50 to Rs60 on National Highways. Wagons will be charged Rs100, and buses will pay Rs200 against previous rates of Rs170. For 2 and 3-axle trucks, the tax will be Rs250, while articulated trucks will have to pay Rs500 against the earlier rate of Rs460.

Toll taxes have been raised at key locations such as the Kohat Tunnel (N55), Islamabad-Murree-Kohala Highway (N75) and Mianwali Toll Plaza (N135), reports said.

It is pertinent to note that after the latest hike, toll tax rates have been doubled within a period of seven months.

The former head of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General (r) Faiz Hamid’s lawyer Mian Ali Ashfaq has stated that he cannot confirm whether the General will become an approver against former Premier Imran Khan, The News reported on Wednesday.

Barrister Mian Ali Ashfaq said, “I cannot confirm such thing at all as the proceedings of the trial are covered within the scope of the Official Secrets Act.”

On being asked whether the former spymaster’s military trial has commenced, Ashfaq did not deny it, saying, “I have seen different media reports suggesting it [the military trial] has started. I am in no position to deny such reports.”

When questioned on the conclusion of the military trial, the former ISI chief’s counsel said that he can’t predict the exact time. “Possibly in a few weeks,” he hinted.

Barrister Mian Ali Ashfaq clarified that he, along with his two associates, are representing Gen (r) Faiz Hamid in the military trial.

On December 10, 2024, Faiz Hamid was indicted on multiple allegations, including engaging in political activities, Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

According to the military’s media wing, Hamid was charged with engaging in political activities, violations of the Official Secret Act detrimental to the safety and interest of the state, misuse of authority and government resources and causing wrongful loss to a person(s).

The ISPR stated these violations have compromised state security and interests.

Recently, journalist Fakhar Durrani had said that Faiz Hamid’s military court trial on allegations of engaging in “political activities” and other charges has been initiated, with the first hearing held on December 13, 2024.

Taking on his YouTube channel Fact Check Pakistan, Durrani predicted, “The military trial of Faiz Hamid will be concluded within a month.”

On August 12, 2024, the Pakistan army arrested Faiz Hamid over allegations of land grabbing and snatching valuables from the owner of a Top City Housing Society, the ISPR statement said.

The ex-spymaster was apprehended following the petition filed by the Top City Housing Society’s chief executive officer (CEO) Kanwar Moeez Khan in the Supreme Court On November 2023, in which Hamid was accused of land grabbing and stealing diamonds and gold during a raid.

In 2019, the then Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan picked Faiz Hamid as the head of the premier intelligence agency ISI. He served as Chief ISI for over two years.

It may be recalled here that the ruling party, particularly Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), alleged that Hamid had close ties with the PTI founder and had been facilitating the PTI inside and outside the parliament.