Nationwide Slowdown: Pakistan Battles Slow Internet Speeds
Pakistan has been grappling with painfully slow internet for several weeks, sparking debate over the underlying cause. While activists claim the government is constructing an internet firewall akin to China’s to exert more control over the digital space, officials deny these accusations. They instead attribute the sluggish speeds to the widespread use of secure connections, such as VPNs (virtual private networks).
In Pakistan and other parts of Asia, internet shutdowns to suppress dissent are not uncommon. Since the riots following former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s removal last year, the government has blocked social media platforms and throttled internet speeds as the fight for public opinion moved online. The social media platform X has been inaccessible since the February elections, cited by the government as a “national security” measure. Notably, Imran Khan’s supporters heavily use X, and he remains the most followed Pakistani on the platform, with nearly 21 million followers.
Despite the growing concerns, Minister of State for Information Technology Shaza Fatima recently refuted claims that the government was behind the recent internet slowdown. She stated that her team had been working closely with internet service providers and telecom companies to resolve the issue. According to Fatima, the extensive use of VPNs by a “large population” has strained the network, leading to the decreased internet speed. She dismissed the allegations that the state was responsible for the slow connections, labeling them as “completely false.” However, she did acknowledge that the government had been upgrading its systems to bolster cybersecurity in response to ongoing cyber threats.
On the other hand, activists remain unconvinced by the government’s explanations. Shahzad Ahmad, director of the local digital watchdog Bytes for All, asserted that his organization has “ample tech evidence” to support the existence of a government-implemented firewall. According to Ahmad, the firewall appears to be designed to monitor online traffic and restrict the dissemination of information, particularly political expression. Farieha Aziz, co-founder of Bolo Bhi, a local nonprofit advocating for online free speech, emphasized that the issue goes beyond civil liberties and is now threatening people’s livelihoods and the economy.
Business leaders have echoed these concerns, warning that the slow internet could severely impact Pakistan’s business prospects. The Pakistan Software Houses Association has expressed fears that the firewall’s imposition, along with prolonged internet disruptions and unstable VPN performance, could lead to a complete collapse of business operations. The association estimated potential losses of up to $300 million in the IT sector and described the situation as a “direct, tangible, and aggressive assault on the industry’s viability.” They cautioned that without immediate action, a mass exodus of IT companies from Pakistan is imminent.
In response to the growing outcry, activists have filed a petition with the Islamabad High Court, seeking to have internet access declared a fundamental right under Pakistan’s constitution.
