People in Pakistan reported a much slower Internet over the past several days with some experts on Monday estimating its speed falling to almost half its usual capacity, affecting millions of users, disrupting businesses and drawing nationwide criticism despite authorities denying being behind it.
Since February, netzines have been either unable to use social media or allowed limited access following a governmental crackdown ahead of the February 8 parliamentary elections.
However, Internet speed has now immensely slowed down.
Users are unable to quickly send emails or use the messaging service WhatsApp, with businessmen and doctors saying it has negatively affected their daily work, particularly receiving statements and medical reports.
Pakistan Software House Association, which represents companies specialising in information technology, said in a statement this week that the disruptions could cause a loss of $300 million to the country’s already fragile economy. The association also accused the government of “hastily implementing a national firewall”, leading to the slow connection.
Shahzad Arshad, an Internet service provider in Lahore, the capital of eastern Punjab province, said his business relies on good speed Internet and “now you cannot contact your international clients or send or receive files and the job suffers”.
Chaudhry Arif, a digital expert who also runs a software company in the capital, Islamabad, said the Internet speed was slower by 40 per cent compared to last week, and at times even by 60 to 80 per cent, and the situation showed no signs of improvement.
On Sunday, Pakistan’s minister for information and technology Shiza Fatima said the government wasn’t behind the slow Internet and no restrictions have been placed. She said phones were slow to connect to cyberspace in some cases because of the use of VPN. Several have rejected Fatima’s explanation.
Umayr Hassan, a software engineer, said authorities should clearly state if the connection would remain unstable due to security measures. “There should be some clarity by the government ... some logical explanation, not saying the use of VPNs.” The minister said authorities are “tirelessly trying” to find the root of the problem while acknowledging that the government was upgrading its system to improve cybersecurity.
Fareeha Aziz, a digital rights activist, wants the government to explain what caused the slow connection. “The government says it is not behind the slow-down of the Internet. Then who did it?” she asked. Pakistan has 110 million Internet users, nearly half the country’s population. Supporters of former premier Imran Khan heavily use social networks to campaign against the government of Shehbaz Sharif who replaced him after a no-confidence vote in Parliament in 2022.
Four mpox cases
Authorities on Monday reported a suspected case of Monkeypox (mpox) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, taking the number of people affected by the virus to four.
A 47-year-old resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), who recently returned from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, was admitted to Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) with mpox symptoms.
Dr Nasim Akhtar, the hospital’s focal person, told the media that the patient showed symptoms consistent with mpox and has been placed in a special ward designated for such cases at PIMS.
Earlier, Pakistan reported three cases of mpox — all from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
Pakistan has taken precautions to tackle the virus and put in place a strict screening system at airports after it emerged that all the patients affected by mpox reportedly returned from abroad.
Pakistan’s government announced on Saturday that it has formulated a comprehensive policy against mpox virus and that people should not worry about its spread. Laboratories were allocated for diagnosis in all provinces and Islamabad.
