<\/p>\n
The caretaker government on Monday blamed \u201ctechnical\u201d issues and system installations for recent internet outages across the country, saying that there was \u201cno guarantee\u201d that such incidents won\u2019t occur in the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe economy, businesses and prestige of the country are more important for us [\u2026] it is important for us to take care of them,\u201d interim Information Minister Murtaza Solangi said at a press conference in Islamabad.<\/p>\n
However, he said one could wish that internet outages didn\u2019t take place but there was no guarantee for that.<\/p>\n
The minister\u2019s remarks came in response to a question regarding recurring interruptions on social media platforms during the PTI\u2019s online events. In the most recent occurrence, internet services were interrupted<\/a> an hour before the PTI\u2019s \u201cvirtual power show\u201d on Saturday.<\/p>\n Netblocks, a global internet monitor, had tweeted<\/a> that live metrics showed \u201ca nation-scale disruption to social media platforms across Pak\u00adis\u00adtan, including X\/Twitter, Fac\u00ade\u00adbook, Instagram and YouTube\u201d. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had said the internet was disrupted due to a \u201ctechnical fault\u201d.<\/p>\n During a press conference alongside PTA Director General Ahmed Shamim Pirzada and FIA Cybercrime Director Operations Waqaruddin Syed today, Solangi was asked about internet outages and whether the government would resolve to prevent such instances during the February 8 general election.<\/p>\n \u201cAs per my information, the reasons [for disruptions] are technical and there are some matters of system installations involved as well,\u201d Solangi responded.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Pirzada attributed the outages to \u201ctechnical glitches\u201d and system upgradation. \u201cYou can face this for the next two to three months,\u201d he added, recalling that such instances took place previously as well.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Solangi said the caretaker government had identified 500 social media accounts involved in running a \u201cmalicious campaign\u201d against the judiciary, adding that it was also monitoring several other similar accounts.<\/p>\n \u201cAn investigation is under way. We are monitoring hundreds of accounts and action will be taken against them,\u201d he said, adding that these accounts were being operated from both within and outside the country.<\/p>\n Last week, the interior ministry constituted<\/a> a five-member joint investigation team (JIT) to \u201cascertain facts behind a malicious social media campaign\u201d against Supreme Court judges.<\/p>\n The panel \u2014 formed under Section 30 (power to investigate) of the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016 \u2014 was convened by the additional director general of the Federal Investiga\u00adtion Agency\u2019s (FIA) cybercrime wing, according to an interior ministry notification.<\/p>\n It also comprised representatives of the Intelli\u00adgence Bureau, Inter-Serv\u00adices Intelli\u00adge\u00adnce, the Pak\u00adis\u00adtan Telecom\u00adm\u00adu\u00adnication Authority (PTA), and the deputy inspector general of Islamabad police. The team can co-opt any other member if required.<\/p>\n The JIT was formed as Pakistan\u2019s premier legal bodies came to the aid of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and the Supreme Court against the backdrop of a \u201csmear campaign\u201d that erupted on social media soon after the Jan 13 judgement<\/a> \u2014 when the apex court upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan\u2019s decision to revoke the PTI\u2019s iconic electoral symbol, the cricket bat, and declare its intra-party polls \u201cunconstitutional\u201d.<\/p>\n Today, Solangi elaborated that the body was formed against a \u201cmalicious\u201d social media campaign and it was doing its job.<\/p>\nOver 500 social media accounts involved in anti-judiciary campaign identified<\/h2>\n