For nearly a week, internet users in Pakistan have faced limited connectivity and partial outages, resulting in slow speeds and restricted app functionality. This has significantly impacted online businesses and freelancers.
Customers, particularly those using mobile data in certain regions, faced significant difficulties in accessing internet services which caused frustration among users, especially on platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook, where there were numerous reports of delays and failures of uploading and downloading media.
Widespread Internet outages
While the citizens have been reporting slowdowns for the past few weeks, on August 15 major online platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp were hit hard with people reporting slowdowns and difficulties in accessing messaging and social media applications.
Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) was the most affected, according to Downdetector, an internet outage tracking website. However, mobile data services by all networks including Jazz, Zong, and Ufone as well as Internet provider companies Nayatel, and Fiberlink were also affected.
Pakistani citizens have also criticized telcos and internet service providers for their silence on Internet disruptions and the secrecy and speculation regarding the firewall.
Financial impact on businesses and freelancers
In addition to affecting citizens’ rights, the internet disruption also caused financial losses to the national treasury. Several online businesses, including e-commerce and ride-hailing services such as Careem and InDrive, suffered the most from slow internet and restricted connectivity.
The effect has been particularly severe on freelancers using platforms like Fiverr. The freelancing platform marked the gigs of many Pakistan-based freelancers as “unavailable” due to possible “internet disruptions” to prevent them from receiving negative ratings due to delays caused by connectivity issues.
These disruptions are having a significant negative impact on various sectors, including businesses and education, where reliable internet is crucial for daily operations.
Activists and organizations express serious concerns over ‘unstable internet’
Digital rights activists and public figures have expressed serious concerns over the ongoing slow and unstable internet access in Pakistan, with particular emphasis on difficulties in downloading media files on WhatsApp.
Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) has raised serious concerns about the frequent Internet issues and the ambiguity surrounding the firewall. Senior Vice Chairman of P@SHA Ali Ihsan the disruptions are “a direct, tangible and aggressive assault on the industry’s viability inflicting devastating financial losses estimated to reach $300 million, which can further increase exponentially.” He warned the situation could lead to a “mass exodus” of IT companies if no immediate action is not taken.
Farieha Aziz, co-founder of the internet advocacy platform BoloBhi, pointed out the deteriorating quality of internet services, attributing it to increased spending on network filtering and harmful digital regulations. Lawyer Jibran Nasir called for media attention to the issue, suggesting that at least one Independence Day TV broadcast should focus on the impact of these internet restrictions on society and the economy.
Social activist and lawyer Imaan Mazari-Hazir criticized the situation, mentioning difficulties in downloading documents on WhatsApp, even as the government promotes digital projects abroad. Public policy researcher Ammar Rashid echoed this sentiment, highlighting the challenges faced by millions of people trying to meet work deadlines while struggling with the hobbled internet.
Wardah Noor, founder of the disaster relief organization xWave, shared an example of a student unable to attend an online class due to internet issues, underscoring the broader impact on education across the country.
Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) executive director Nighat Dad also called out the authorities for continuous internet disruptions and the obscurity around the issue. Overall, there is growing frustration over the government’s approach to internet management, with calls for a more balanced strategy that addresses security needs without sacrificing the essential services that people rely on every day.
Internet providers blame the government
Amid growing concerns, internet service providers on Wednesday alleged that the government’s intensified efforts to monitor internet traffic had led to a significant nationwide slowdown.
“The government’s decision to enhance security and surveillance has had an unintended consequence, severely crippling the country’s digital economy. Over the past few weeks, internet speeds have plummeted by 30 to 40%, creating a chaotic situation for businesses and individuals who rely heavily on fast, reliable connectivity,” said the statement issued by the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP).
The association highlighted the devastating impact on sectors such as call centers, e-commerce, and other online businesses.
“These sectors, which form the backbone of Pakistan’s burgeoning digital economy, are now struggling to maintain operations, and the slowdown is threatening their very survival,” the statement read.
WISPAP also warned that the situation had become so dire that many businesses were considering relocating their operations to other countries with stable internet services.
“It’s a very discouraging situation for our customers,” said WISPAP Chairman Shahzad Arshad. “Many are leaving the smaller ISPs because they cannot sustain the poor service quality anymore. If this continues, we will see a mass exodus of businesses from Pakistan.”
The government previously blocked access to the social media platform X (Twitter) around February’s election, citing national security concerns. However, users are still unable to access the platform without using a VPN (virtual private network). Netizens are now demanding that the government refrain from blocking social media platforms, arguing that it not only hinders communication, which is their basic right but also impacts the country’s global reputation.
PTA’s response to concerns raised by citizens
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said they hey had not received any complaints regarding the disruption of the internet and also rejected the allegations that the connectivity issue was caused due to the installation of a new firewall.
PTA is yet to respond to the ongoing issues, despite being contacted multiple times. Lately, mobile internet services from the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) also went down, though they were restored after a daylong breakdown.
IT Minister orders PTA, others to explain internet disruption claims
IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said that the government had ordered the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and other relevant bodies to submit a report after citizens in various cities of Pakistan claimed they had been facing internet connectivity issues.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Khawaja said “The relevant authorities, including PTA, have been asked to inform us about the impact on data traffic in the last two weeks.” She added that the “Internet should never be slow, we have even been talking about bringing 5G technology to Pakistan. There is no doubt that, and conversations about higher [internet] speed are underway.”
Is the Internet slowdown connected to the firewall?
For over a month, rumors of a government-installed firewall have sparked widespread concern. With no clear disclosure from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the government, or telecom providers, details about any tested or deployed systems remain unclear. Some users speculate that recent internet disruptions are due to the installation of this firewall to monitor and control user activity.
The minister stated that the concerns over the government setting up a firewall had been exaggerated, noting that it is a standard practice worldwide to enhance internet security. “There was a web-management system being operated by the government before too, which is now being upgraded,” she said. “It is the right of the government to [take such measures] given the cyber security attacks that this country has to go through.”
Senate committee takes serious notice of slow internet
On August 15, the Senate Committee took serious notice of the disruptions in internet services across Pakistan. The lawmakers also directed the relevant authorities to resolve the connectivity issues within two weeks as Senator Humayun Mohmand highlighted that the slow internet and social media apps were negatively affecting businesses during the session.
The Senate committee also requested a detailed report on the losses incurred due to slow internet and social media apps as Senator Afnanullah Khan claimed that the slowdown has resulted in at least a loss of Rs 500 million.
An in-camera briefing on the speculations about a firewall being installed was postponed due to the absence of PTA officials.
Responding to the concerns, IT Secretary Aisha Humera Chaudhary said there was a “disruption in services of mobile operators”. “It can be a technical issue that will soon be solved,” she said. She also assured the committee that the issue would be resolved shortly and that the gathered data would be shared with the committee.