IT ministry rejects firewall shutdown claims as NA panel reviews 5G auction plan

The secretary of the Ministry of Information Technology has dismissed reports suggesting that Pakistan’s web monitoring system, commonly referred to as a firewall, has been shut down, terming the claims baseless and confirming that the system remains fully operational to ensure compliance with court directives.

The clarification came during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecom, where lawmakers reviewed preparations for the upcoming 5G spectrum auction, the operational status of the web monitoring system, and the performance of IT exports.

Officials of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed the committee that the 5G spectrum auction will be held on March 10 at a local hotel in Islamabad. A dedicated control room will be established at PTA headquarters to oversee the process. The final date for bid submission is February 27.

According to the PTA chairman, all major telecom operators are set to participate in the auction and have deposited the mandatory $15 million pre-bid guarantee.

Addressing concerns raised by committee member Sadiq Memon about whether the firewall system could interfere with the 5G rollout, the PTA chairman said the monitoring mechanism is intended to safeguard Pakistan’s digital boundaries and does not impede the deployment of new technologies, including 5G services.

DG Licensing Amir Shehzad briefed the committee that six spectrum bands, including four new ones, will be offered in the auction. He said the government issued a policy directive based on a consultant’s report, following which the PTA published an information memorandum outlining the auction framework.

The committee was further informed that the merger between Ufone and Telenor Pakistan is expected to be finalised before the 5G auction. The PTA chairman stated that the merger process is in its final phase, with documentation currently under review.

Committee chairman Aminul Haq directed that the merger be structured to prevent the emergence of a monopoly in the telecom sector. The PTA chairman responded that a cap has been imposed to ensure no operator attains market dominance.

On the issue of IT exports, committee member Dr Zulfiqar observed that much of the recent growth has been driven by freelancers and questioned the ministry’s contribution. The IT secretary replied that globally, expansion in IT exports is predominantly led by private sector activity.