Massive public outrage in Pakistan over widespread internet disruption

Islamabad: Public outrage continues to grow over extremely slow internet speed and severe disruptions across Pakistan as the government led by Shehbaz Sharif has reportedly installed firewalls to monitor anti-state content on social media amid anti-government campaigns and protests led by opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that shook capital Islamabad, last week.

The continuous slow speed of internet and data connectivity has made it almost impossible for users to send and receive messages, images, videos or voice notes on social media applications. Moreover, IT professionals, business houses, digital marketers, content creators, remote job workers and students getting online education have been severely affected by the ongoing internet disruption.

Pakistan’s Federal Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecom, Shaza Fatima however claimed that the situation is under control and the issue is being overblown.

She maintained that her ministry is leaving “no stone unturned” to ensure seamless continuity throughout the country.

“The government is committed to protecting the IT and telecom Industry. To achieve this goal, we are updating existing systems and are focusing on key areas, including enhancing tower intensity, broadening broadband internet access and tackling pressing cybersecurity concerns to provide better coverage, boost economic growth and ensure a secure online environment for citizens,” said Fatima.

“Pakistan faces millions of cyberattacks daily, making it increasingly difficult to detect terrorist activity. There is nothing controversial about a country being worried about its cyber security. The entire world uses different cybersecurity mechanisms,” she added.

Fatima urged all business users, freelancers and others to register their IPs to get uninterrupted access to Virtual Private Network (VPN).

The government claimed that it also wants to put a curb on fake news, disinformation, misinformation, fake propaganda and incitement to violence that is being disseminated through many social media platforms against Islamabad and the military establishment.

On Sunday, Pakistan Prime Minister announced the formation of a 10-member task force dedicated to work on handling and tackling campaigns on social media platforms against the security forces, the state and the military establishment.

Former PM Imran Khan’s party PTI continues to use various social media platforms to voice its anger against the government and the military establishment.

The notification by the PM office stated, “Multiple domestic and foreign-based media platforms are being used to perpetrate concocted, baseless, and inciting news implicating state apparatus for committing serious human rights violations. The campaign affected the law-and-order situation in the country, and to attract foreign audience, perpetrators of the campaign attempted to create serious human rights violations through fictitious violent images and contents”.

The goal of the task force is to identify organisations and individuals crafting false and fake news, trace and track them domestically and internationally, and hold them accountable as per law of the land.

However, the internet users in the country are not convinced with the government’s claims.

“I don’t know what the government is thinking and why it is completely ignorant to the fact that putting a firewall and more internet security measures is inflicting massive losses to people from all walks of life,” said Khurram Ali, an IT professional in Karachi.

“From IT companies working with international clients to a delivery boy on the road, everyone is facing difficulties in managing work and communication. Companies are losing their clients because of internet interruptions,” he stated.

IT experts maintain that inconsistency in internet connections is denting the country’s economy with sectors like IT and telecom, which generate daily profits worth billions, getting directly affected.

“Internet disruptions, coupled with weak or no 3G and 4G network connectivity, are currently inflicting a major blow to the telecom sector,” maintained a report from IT experts.