‘PTA ready to lift X ban upon government approval’

Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication body (PTA), Hafeezur Rehman, declared on Thursday that the body is ready to lift the ban on X, formerly known as Twitter, whenever the government demands it.

The platform has been stopped in Pakistan since February 17 due to national security concerns, but it is still accessible through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).


During a Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat hearing in Islamabad led by Rana Mahmoodul Hasan, Rehman explained that the PTA only disables social media networks on the government’s orders.

He also stated that the platform’s compliance with Pakistani legislation is noticeably low, with only 7% of complaints resolved in the last three months.

Rehman noticed a huge drop in X usage in Pakistan, with a 70% decrease despite the availability of VPNs.


He stated that only certain VPNs will be allowed after a whitelisting process, limiting public access to certain services.

Regarding internet availability and digital infrastructure, Rehman indicated that approximately 56% of Pakistan’s population has internet access.

He also indicated a 5G auction that will take place in March and April of next year.


Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar addressed the subject of taxation on social media revenues, adding that talks with multinational platforms such as Facebook and Instagram are ongoing.

“Social media platforms are used commercially around the world, and taxation is required,” Tarar emphasized, citing ongoing conversations about virtual offices in Pakistan.

The cabinet secretary stated that the topic of social media advertisement taxes would be brought before the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

Furthermore, domestic mobile phone production has begun, with 37 companies generating about 20 million phones per year.

Rehman stated that Pakistan levies a 34.50% fee on telecom users and promised that there have been no assaults on telecom networks in the previous two years.