Govt working with controversial firm to monitor internet traffic: report.

KARACHI -- The government has acquired the services of a controversial Canada-based company to help build a nationwide 'web monitoring system', according to a New York-based publication Coda Story.

The report in Coda said that Sandvine is expected to provide equipment for monitoring and analysing all incoming and outgoing internet traffic from Pakistan.

In May, reports surfaced that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had directed the telecom industry to deploy a 'suitable technical solution' for monitoring, analysing and curbing 'grey traffic' - which incluAdes Voice over Internet Protocol and Virtual Private Networks.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Khan Swati told the Senate earlier that the PTA had asked Inbox Business Technologies and Sandvine Inc, to provide equipment for monitoring grey traffic. At the same time, he maintained that PTA was not involved with either of the companies and no public funds had been spent on the project.

Outsourcing of web monitoring to Sandvine raises concern

However, according to the Coda report, a March 2018 tender available on the PTA's website invited bids for the web monitoring system (WMS) 'at national level, for identifying and blocking access to any on-line content classified as unlawful under Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016'.

Sharing details of the agreement, the report says the WMS contract is worth $18.5 million and it's dated Dec 12, 2018. The web monitoring system will use Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) to monitor communications, measure and record traffic and call data on behalf of the PTA.

The contract, it adds, was signed by a number of parties, including Pakistan firm Inbox Business Technologies Ltd, which is acting as a local partner for Sandvine and Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) for 'procurement of hardware, software and provision of related services for web monitoring system'.

The new system is the result of a controversial 2010 law that mandates the monitoring and blocking of any traffic to and from Pakistan.

The...

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