The nationwide internet disruption in Pakistan is expected to last over a month, according to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The PTA announced on Wednesday that repairs to the submarine cable responsible for the service degradation are anticipated to be completed by early October.
The internet issues have faced significant backlash from users and the IT sector, with some attributing the slowdown and limited connectivity to the testing of an internet firewall aimed at controlling social media content. This firewall includes filters designed to block unwanted content.
Last week, the PTA attributed the internet slowdown to faults in “two of the seven international submarine cables connecting Pakistan globally.”
Today, the PTA stated that the disruption is mainly due to issues with two submarine cables. It noted that repairs to the SMW-4 submarine cable are expected to be finished by early October 2024, while the AAE-1 cable has been repaired, which should enhance internet performance.
Earlier this month, PTA Chairman Maj Gen (retd) Hafeezur Rehman acknowledged that an upgrade to the National Firewall System (NFS) or Web Management System (WMS) was underway to control or remove content from social media, following directives from executives or courts. He explained that the PC-1 for the NFS upgrade was approved in March 2019 during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. Rehman also mentioned that the social media messaging service X (formerly Twitter) was banned for not complying with directives from the interior ministry, as there is a legal mechanism for such actions.
The Web Management System mandates the PTA to follow orders from executives or superior courts, including removing content related to pornography or blasphemy.
However, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information Technology has unanimously opposed the slowdown of internet services or the banning of social media platforms. The committee has instructed the Ministry of IT to provide precise estimates of the IT sector’s losses.
The Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP), Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), and IT experts have criticized Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government for the issue, highlighting the economic impact on freelancers, IT professionals, and the broader digital economy. P@SHA has estimated a $300 million loss due to business complaints and reputational damage, while WISPAP Chairman Shahzad Arshad stated that businesses relying on reliable internet are struggling to maintain operations, with the slowdown jeopardizing their survival.
In response, the government has denied involvement. State Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja attributed the slowdown to VPN usage, claiming that “their phones” were slowed down. She asserted, “I can swear that the government of Pakistan did not block the internet or slow it down.”
