Pakistan’s internet disruption is expected to persist for over a month due to a submarine cable fault, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said on Wednesday, with repairs anticipated by early October.
The ongoing internet issues have drawn sharp criticism from the public and the information technology (IT) sector, who blame the slowdown and limited connectivity on the possible testing of an internet firewall designed to control social media content through filtering mechanisms.
Last week, the PTA attributed the slowdown to faults in “two of the seven international submarine cables connecting Pakistan.”
In a statement issued today, the authority confirmed that the internet disruption was primarily due to these faults. The SMW-4 submarine cable is expected to be repaired by early October 2024, while repairs to the AAE-1 cable have been completed, which may lead to some improvement in internet services.
Earlier this month, PTA Chairman Maj Gen (retd) Hafeezur Rehman acknowledged that the National Firewall System (NFS) or Web Management System (WMS) was being upgraded to manage social media content following directives from government executives and courts. The upgrade was approved in March 2019 under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
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He also mentioned that the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, was banned for not complying with interior ministry directives, citing the legal framework that allows for content removal or platform bans.
Despite this, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information Technology unanimously rejected the slowdown of the internet or the banning of social media platforms. The committee has asked the Ministry of IT to collaborate and provide precise estimates of the losses suffered by the IT sector.
Meanwhile, industry groups, including the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP) and the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), have criticised the government, highlighting the severe impact on freelancers, IT professionals, and the broader digital economy. P@SHA has estimated a $300 million loss due to the disruption, while WISPAP Chairman Shahzad Arshad warned that businesses reliant on stable internet connectivity are now struggling to survive.
However, the government has denied involvement in the internet slowdown. State Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja attributed the slowdown to the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) by internet users, which she claimed was the reason for their devices experiencing reduced speeds.
“I can swear that the government of Pakistan did not block the internet or slow it down,” Minister Shaza told the media last week.
