PTA Ready to Lift Ban on X Pending Government Approval

Islamabad: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Hafeezur Rehman announced on Thursday that the authority is prepared to lift the ban on X, formerly known as Twitter, upon government request.

The platform has been suspended in Pakistan since February 17 due to national security concerns but remains accessible via Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).

During a Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat meeting chaired by Rana Mahmoodul Hasan in Islamabad, Rehman explained that the PTA blocks social media platforms only at the government’s directive. He noted that X’s compliance with Pakistani regulations has been notably low, with only 7% of complaints addressed in the last three months.

Rehman also reported a significant drop in X’s usage in Pakistan, with a 70% decrease despite VPN availability. He added that only selected VPNs would be allowed following a whitelisting process, which would limit public access to specific services.

On digital infrastructure, Rehman revealed that about 56% of Pakistan’s population has internet access and announced plans for a 5G auction scheduled for March-April next year.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar addressed the issue of taxation on social media earnings, stating that negotiations with international platforms like Facebook and Instagram are ongoing. He emphasized the need for taxation on commercial social media use and highlighted discussions about virtual offices in Pakistan.

The cabinet secretary mentioned that the issue of social media advertisement taxes will be presented to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). Additionally, local manufacturing of mobile phones has begun, with 37 companies producing approximately 20 million phones annually.

Rehman assured that Pakistan imposes a 34.50% tax on telecom customers and confirmed that there have been no cyberattacks on telecom networks in the past two years.