Information Technology Minister Syed Amin Ul Haque Tuesday regretted the social media blackout and internet shutdown in the country, saying this is “not a solution” to problems while commenting on the government’s decision to curb mobile data services amid recent violent protests across the country.
“Internet should not be shutdown in any case. I will try my best that internet service is not shut in the near future,” he said, during an interview with private Television Geo Pakistan.
The minister added that internet services were suspended without taking the IT ministry in confidence, as Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is an independent institution. “Since 2017, the PTA is no longer under the Ministry of Information Technology,” he highlighted.
Haque also spoke about the gradual restoration of mobile internet from Friday and informed about his discussion with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the matter.
The government decided to shutdown the internet and restricted access to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for an indefinite period to prevent incitement to violence after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was arrested last week from the Islamabad High Court on May 9.
