The National Assembly's Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication was informed on Monday that internet services in Balochistan's Panjgur district remain suspended due to security clearance being withheld by intelligence agencies for the next six months.
However, interior ministry officials clarified that terrorists of the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) were not using Pakistan's official internet infrastructure, but an alternative system.
During the committee's meeting, chaired by Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Aminul Haque at the Parliament House, officials from the Ministry of Interior briefed members on the prolonged internet shutdown in Panjgur.
They said that a formal request for security clearance was made on March 22, but clearance was denied without detailed justification, only citing "security concerns" as the reason for continued data suspension.
Committee member Pauline Baloch expressed strong concern, saying the internet issue in her constituency had persisted for several years.
"If nothing has been resolved in the past three years, what hope is there in the next six months?" she asked.
"It appears Panjgur is being permanently disconnected," she added, taking a solemn oath and alleging that the region was being deliberately punished.
Separately, the committee also lauded Pakistan's cybersecurity apparatus for successfully fending off cyberattacks during recent heightened tensions with India.
Committee Chairman Aminul Haque said cyberattacks were launched against Pakistan between May 5 and 6, but were effectively thwarted. "Our cybersecurity team and the National CERT deserve commendation for defending Pakistan's digital assets and even launching counteroffensives," he said.
Meanwhile, Acting CEO of the National Information Technology Board (NITB) Faisal Ratyal briefed the committee on the development of "Beep", a secure government communication app designed for federal employees.
The app will include voice and video conferencing capabilities and aims to provide a safer internal communication platform.
Committee members were informed that a high-level committee had been formed to oversee Beep's rollout, and an additional security layer was being incorporated to enhance protection.
With additional input from APP
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