ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) accused the federal government of wasting billions of rupees on a controversial social media monitoring firewall, alleging that the project was designed to silence political opponents rather than protect national interests and was ultimately dismantled after drawing widespread criticism.
The PTI has also strongly criticized the Punjab government’s revised transport policy, saying the decision to increase vehicle engine capacities and monthly fuel allowances for senior bureaucrats reflects misplaced priorities at a time when the country faces severe economic strain and citizens grapple with soaring inflation.
PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram in a statement on Sunday, said that the closure of this ill-conceived and agenda-driven project, just before the 5G spectrum auction, amounts to a clear admission that it was not only technically unviable but also inflicted billions of rupees in losses on the national exchequer through its installation costs as well as prolonged internet slowdowns.
He said that the installation of the so-called firewall reflected misplaced priorities at a time when the national economy is under severe strain and citizens are grappling with unprecedented inflation. He said that it maintained that instead of focusing on economic revival, investor confidence, and digital growth, the government chose to invest public funds in measures aimed at suppressing dissent.
He said that the project was a manifestation of what it termed “Imran Phobia,” reflecting a government agenda driven by political victimization and the suppression of dissenting voices rather than by economic revival or the restoration of investor confidence.
Shiekh Waqas maintained that decisions taken under such a hostile and vindictive mindset severely undermined the digital economy, eroded the confidence of foreign investors, adversely affected IT exports and the freelancer community, and further damaged Pakistan’s global reputation.
He said that ill-conceived policies such as the firewall imposed an additional strain on an already fragile economy. He said that at a time when investment has reportedly declined by 41 percent, unemployment is at record levels, public debt has reached historic highs, and the national currency remains under sustained pressure, allocating billions of rupees to curb freedom of expression was fundamentally against the national interest, he added.
The PTI Central Information Secretary demanded that the full expenditure and all contractual details of the firewall project be made public without delay, that responsibility for its failure be clearly determined and legal proceedings initiated against those found culpable, and that a transparent and sustainable framework be developed to safeguard digital freedom, protect freedom of expression, and ensure the continued growth of Pakistan’s IT sector.
Meanwhile, the PTI Central Information Secretary (CIS) also lambasted the government of Punjab for introducing what it termed an anti-people transport policy for senior bureaucrats, significantly revising vehicle engine capacities and monthly fuel entitlements at a time of severe economic distress.
He noted that under the new policy, the Chief Secretary and the Inspector General of Police, Punjab, are permitted to retain three official vehicles with engine capacities of 2800cc, 1800cc, and 4700cc. For two of these vehicles, they are entitled to 800 litres of petrol per month, while no fuel cap has been prescribed for the 4700cc vehicle.
Furthermore, Grade 20 to 22 Secretaries are allowed to use two vehicles with engine capacities of 2800cc and 1800cc. Grade 21 and 22 officers will receive 200 litres of petrol for personal use, whereas fuel for official use will remain uncapped. The revised framework, the party observed, expands engine capacity limits and increases fuel entitlements across multiple categories of officers compared to the previous policy.
The PTI CIS criticized what it described as the squandering of national resources by the ruling elite and senior bureaucratic class at a time when Punjab’s major cities continue to suffer from recurring urban flooding, inadequate drainage infrastructure, and the absence of proper civic facilities. He said that millions of citizens are struggling to secure even two meals a day, yet the elite continue to enjoy lavish privileges funded by public money.
Sheikh Waqas further remarked that this widening disconnects between rulers and the public reflects an entrenched culture of elite capture, where state resources are treated as personal entitlement. He stated that while citizens continue to endure soaring inflation, rising unemployment, and deteriorating public services, the expansion of luxury privileges for the ruling elite sends a deeply troubling message about the government’s priorities. He termed the move condemnable and warned that the people of Pakistan will ultimately hold those responsible to account.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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