Pakistani minister confirms internet firewall, rejects censorship concerns

FILE - People use the internet at a local cafe in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 7, 2012. Pakistan said July 26, 2024, that it is implementing an internet firewall, which critics and digital rights activists worry will be used to silence dissent.

Pakistan’s minister for information technology and telecommunication confirmed Friday the government is implementing an internet firewall but rejected talk that the tool will curb free speech online, defending it as a cybersecurity upgrade.