Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Faisal Zaman on Friday recused himself from hearing the petition challenging the implementation of the firewall and web management system. The case has now been referred back to the Chief Justice for further proceedings. The petition was filed in the High Court through advocate Azhar Siddique, seeking legal action against the enforcement of the system. Earlier, Hamid Mir, a senior journalist associated with a private news channel, has filed a petition in Islamabad High Court against the installation of firewall and internet shutdown through lawyer – Imaan Mazari.

The applicant in his petition argued that the installation of the firewall apparently caused a drastic drop in internet speed, hurting the youth who are the backbone of the digital economy. The petitioner requested that the installation of firewalls, which could potentially impact the fundamental rights of citizens, to be halted and argued that such installations should be carried out only after consulting relevant stakeholders and ensuring the protection of fundamental rights. Additionally, the petitioner urged that access to the internet for livelihood purposes be recognized as a fundamental human right under the Constitution.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan