Pakistan's internet speed drops by 30-40%, businesses suffer huge losses
Pakistan is currently grappling with a significant slowdown in internet speeds, which have plummeted by 30-40% in recent weeks. This information was provided by the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP). The issue has severely impacted online activities, leading to substantial financial losses for businesses across the country. IT companies estimate that these disruptions have cost Pakistani businesses millions of dollars.
Online education hit by internet slowdown
The internet slowdown has also disrupted online education in Pakistan. A recent incident involved an IT training firm, XWave, which had to cancel its live sessions due to poor connectivity. The founder of XWave, Wardah Noor, reported that only a few of the 1,500 registered participants were able to join the first session due to slow internet speeds. Those who did manage to connect experienced issues with audio quality and unstable connections.
IT sector suspects government's new firewall testing
Many professionals in the IT industry suspect the government's testing of a new nationwide internet firewall is responsible for the ongoing issues. Noor expressed her frustration, stating that while the government promises an IT revolution, it seems to be stifling it simultaneously. However, these allegations were denied by Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Pakistan's Minister of State for IT. She attributed the slow internet speed to excessive usage of VPNs or virtual private networks by a significant number of users in Pakistan.
Government's stance on internet slowdown
The government has acknowledged plans for a firewall to regulate and block malicious content, and protect government networks. Khawaja defended the government's actions, stating that it is their right to take steps to protect its interests given the cybersecurity attacks that Pakistan is facing. She also mentioned that her team had been "working tirelessly" with internet service providers to resolve the issue and blamed Pakistan's "large population" for straining the network.
Firewall's potential role in internet disruptions
Khuram Rahat, vice-chair of P@SHA, an association of around 1,500 software and IT companies, suggested that if the new firewall is indeed causing these disruptions, there should have been some warning. Azam Mughal, cybersecurity expert at P@SHA, revealed that members have reported significant financial losses due to these disruptions. He stated that "Our survey has found that the country has lost up to $300 million due to internet disruptions in the last few months."
Concerns over censorship and control
Mughal also raised concerns about privacy, stating that a firewall controls, filters and monitors content coming in and out in the digital territory, including who is generating it. "Whenever you try to bring digital frontiers under control, it is a form of censorship," he said. However, he acknowledged that a firewall can help curb the spread of extremism, religious intolerance and fake content.
But what is causing the internet outage in Pakistan?
Pakistani officials have attributed the nationwide internet slowdown to "faulty submarine cables." However, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) stated that the issue was related to upgrading the government's web management system.
