ISLAMABAD: Internet services across Pakistan have been severely disrupted, leading to widespread inconvenience for users. The issue, which has persisted for several days, has impacted all internet service providers.
Social media platforms have been particularly affected, with users facing difficulties even in downloading audio messages. While internet service providers claim that the problem is due to issues with social media platforms, mobile companies deny any involvement.
In the meantime, the government has begun the process of regulating all social media platforms. Documents indicate that a categorization-based regulatory framework will be implemented after receiving approval from the Federal Cabinet.
These new regulations will require companies to store data within Pakistan, and license holders will be obligated to provide location and general information when requested.
Officials have hinted that ongoing work on a firewall could also be contributing to the internet disruptions. Sources suggest that these issues may persist until August 30th.
Earlier, Internet users across Pakistan have been grappling with a notable slowdown in the performance of WhatsApp and Instagram in recent days.
This issue has sparked considerable concern, as the popular messaging and social media platforms have become sluggish, causing disruptions in communication and online activities.
Reports suggest that the slowdown is linked to ongoing trials of a new Internet security system, specifically a ‘firewall,’ which is believed to be affecting overall Internet speeds nationwide.
Since August 10, users from major cities such as Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, and Faisalabad have voiced their frustrations on social media, noting issues like delayed message delivery and incomplete sending or receiving of messages.
Despite the rising volume of complaints, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has not yet provided an official statement regarding the slowdown of WhatsApp and Instagram or the broader impact on Internet services. Data from DownDetector, a service that tracks Internet outages, corroborates these complaints, showing a decline in the performance of both platforms.
While some users have experienced complete service outages, others have faced substantial delays in message processing.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
