Veteran Pakistani actress Hina Khawaja Bayat has sharply criticized the government over persistent slow internet speeds, arguing that these issues are crippling businesses and damaging livelihoods across the country.
In a recent social media post, Bayat voiced her frustration with the stark contrast between the government’s assurances of economic progress and the reality of widespread connectivity problems. She highlighted the recent reports that Pakistani freelancers on Fiverr have been marked as “unavailable,” causing significant concern within the community.
Bayat questioned the government’s strategy, stating, “On one hand, we lament our deteriorating economy, and on the other, the government has slowed down internet speeds nationwide.”
She emphasized that these disruptions are not only affecting businesses but could also lead to widespread unemployment.
The actress challenged the rationale behind the internet slowdowns, asking, “How do you plan to improve the economy by shutting down the internet? What are you afraid of? In this modern age of technology, why are you depriving us of internet access?”
Bayat accused the government of undermining the economy and businesses, declaring, “Are you trying to end Pakistan? You are doing what our enemies couldn’t do—are you planning to ruin the country this way?”
She concluded by calling on top officials to address the issue of slow internet speeds promptly.
This criticism comes amid reports from social media and international news agency Reuters about the government’s installation of a new firewall system, which has led to severe internet service disruptions. Users have been experiencing slow speeds and difficulties with messaging and file sharing over the past week.
The government’s recent ban on X (formerly Twitter) and the ongoing firewall trials have further complicated the situation for freelancers.
Despite these issues, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has denied that the firewall is causing the disruptions. Telecom sources indicate that the trial phase has ended and normal network operations are expected to resume within the next two weeks.
