The petition challenging the ban on the social media app X will be heard by Chief Justice Aamir Farooq in the Islamabad High Court on February 6, 2025.
The petition, which was last heard on April 17, 2024, has faced several delays. Initially scheduled for hearings on May 2 and June 11, 2024, the case could not proceed on those dates.
A miscellaneous application for an early hearing was accepted by the court on November 22, 2024. Following this, Chief Justice Aamir Farooq directed that the case be scheduled after the winter vacations, with the Registrar Office confirming the hearing date for February 6, 2025.
Earlier, the Senate's Standing Committee on IT and Telecom, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, convened on December 5 to discuss key issues concerning the industry.
During the meeting, Pasha Chairman Sajjad Mustafa Syed expressed strong reservations about the government's VPN policy, highlighting the adverse impact on the IT sector.
"An hour of internet downtime results in a loss of $910,000 for the IT industry," he stated, stressing the critical nature of reliable internet access for the sector's growth.
Senator Palwisha Khan raised concerns over the actions of the Ministry of IT, criticizing the tendency to shift responsibility to the Ministry of Interior. "I don’t understand why we even have a Ministry of IT if this is how things are managed," she remarked.
Secretary of IT, while addressing the committee, assured that efforts are underway to balance national security concerns with minimal disruption to the IT industry.
"We are striving to meet national security requirements while ensuring the least impact on the IT sector," he added.
The discussion highlighted the need for a more strategic approach to policy-making, ensuring both national security and the thriving growth of Pakistan's IT industry.
