The federal government of Pakistan has announced plans to install advanced Chinese-sourced firewalls aimed at advanced social media blockers for unwanted material from spreading widely.

The costs for these sophisticated firewalls will be shared between the federal government and local Internet Service Providers (ISPs). The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has mandated that ISPs block illegal content, in compliance with their operating licenses. Consequently, the government will partially fund these firewalls while ISPs will cover the remaining expenses.

Equipped with deep packet inspection (DPI) technology, these firewalls will be implemented by local ISPs. This decision followed extensive discussions involving the PTA, IT Ministry officials, and the ISPs. Despite initial resistance from the ISPs, the PTA remained firm on the implementation.

The new firewall system will block online content at the IP level, bypassing the need to filter through mobile apps. The PTA will supervise the installation and operation of these firewalls, ensuring their effective use in preventing the spread of illegal content and bolstering national security.

Sources indicate that these firewalls will perform detailed analysis up to the 7-Layer OSI model’s application layers. This advanced level of control will enable the government to identify and block specific propaganda points and IDs on social media platforms with precision.

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