Islamabad, 19 August 2024 (TDI): Although it’s debatable who or what is to blame, Pakistan has been suffering from dreadfully slow internet for weeks. In an effort to increase its control over the internet, activists claim the state is constructing an internet firewall similar to that of China.
A petition has been filed by activists with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) asking that internet access be recognized as a fundamental right under the constitution of Pakistan.
The extensive usage of virtual private networks, or VPNs, has been blamed by officials for the crawling speeds, refuting these assertions.
In Pakistan and other parts of Asia, officials are accustomed to using internet shutdowns as a tool for calming opposition.
In an effort to win over the public’s favor online, the government has throttled connection speeds and restricted social media sites since the riots last year, which were incited by former prime leader Imran Khan.
Since the February elections, “national security” concerns have resulted in the blocking of the microblogging platform X.
With almost to 21 million followers, Mr. Khan is the most well-liked Pakistani on the platform among those who support his party.
Shaza Fatima, the minister of state for information technology, however, said on Sunday that the recent delay was not the result of the administration.
In an attempt to fix the problem, she claimed that her team has been “working tirelessly” with telcos and ISPs.
According to Ms. Fatima, a “significant number” of people had been using VPNs, which “strained the network and caused the internet to go slow.”
She called rumors “completely false” that the state was the cause of the sluggish connections.
Also read: Government Under Fire for Internet Disruptions
Ms. Fatima clarified, meanwhile, that in order to increase cyber security, the government has been updating its systems.
She remarked, “In light of the frequent cyberattacks this nation faces, the government has the right to [take such actions].”
Still, activists charge the minister with “dodging criticism like a normal politician.”
Shahzad Ahmad, the director of the regional internet watchdog Bytes for All, said that his organization possesses “ample tech evident” to demonstrate the presence of a firewall.
“Monitoring Internet activity and imposing restrictions on information sharing seem to be its main objectives, particularly with regard to suppressing political discourse.”
The economics and people’s means of survival now matter more than civil freedoms, according to Farieha Aziz, co-founder of Bolo Bhi, a local non-profit that promotes the freedom of speech online.
The sluggish connections due to firewall could jeopardize Pakistan’s commercial potential, business leaders and associations have cautioned.
“A total collapse of corporate operations is threatened by extended internet outages and unstable VPN performance brought on by the implementation of firewall,” according to the Pakistan Software Houses Association.
It is a “direct, tangible and aggressive assault on the industry’s sustainability,” the organization warned, threatening to cost the IT sector up to $300 million.
Also read: IT Minister Claims Excessive Use of VPN Causing Internet Disruption in Pakistan
“If swift action is not done, a mass departure of IT companies is not only possible but very likely to occur,” the statement stated.
A petition has been filed by activists with the Islamabad High Court requesting that internet access be recognized as a fundamental right under the constitution of Pakistan.
