On Sunday, Minister of State for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja addressed concerns regarding internet service in Pakistan, asserting that the government has not restricted or slowed down internet access.
During a press conference in Islamabad, Khawaja denied allegations of internet throttling, explaining that any perceived slowdown is due to widespread VPN use among consumers, which has inadvertently put pressure on the network. She described the temporary disruptions as ‘natural’ and lasting only one or two days.
Khawaja also announced the creation of a National Digitalization Commission, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to drive economic growth through digitalization. This initiative aligns with the Special Investment Facilitation Council’s (SIFC) priorities and marks the first time Pakistan has achieved record IT export levels.
The commission, soon to be formally established with approval from the Ministry of Law, will focus on IT as a key sector for economic revival and investment attraction.
Khawaja highlighted the government’s dedication to advancing the IT sector, noting that the previous budget allocated over 4 billion rupees for IT training and job creation for children. More than 300,000 children are set to receive training from Huawei, with ongoing negotiations with Google, Microsoft, and Meta for additional certifications and skill development. Plans also include coding education for over 10,000 children and the development of two IT parks—one in Islamabad and one in Karachi. The Islamabad IT park is projected to create over 10,000 jobs.
