According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Pakistan is facing a nationwide internet outage that could persist for over a month. The problem started with a malfunction in a submarine cable, specifically the SMW-4 cable, which will not be fully repaired until early October.
This ongoing disruption has led to widespread criticism from the public and the IT industry. Some believe the slowdown is linked to government testing of a new internet firewall designed to control social media content. This firewall, which includes filters to block specific online material. Has raised concerns about its effect on internet speed and connectivity.
Initially, the PTA blamed the internet slowdown on issues with two of the seven international submarine cables that connect Pakistan. While repairs on the SMW-4 cable are still underway. The AAE-1 cable has been fixed, which should slightly improve internet performance.
PTA Chairman Maj Gen (retd) Hafeezur Rehman recently confirmed that the National Firewall System (NFS), also known as the Web Management System (WMS), is being upgraded. This system is intended to regulate or remove content from social media platforms based on government or court directives. Rehman noted that the NFS upgrade project began in March 2019 under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
The PTA chief also mentioned that the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) was banned for not complying with government directives. He emphasized that there are legal procedures for enforcing such actions.
In light of the disruptions. The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information Technology has rejected any efforts to slow down the internet or ban social media platforms. The committee has asked the Ministry of IT to evaluate the financial impact on the IT sector and report back.
Industry groups, including the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP) and the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), have strongly criticized the government. They highlight the severe economic impact on freelancers, IT professionals, and the broader digital economy. P@SHA estimates that the ongoing internet issues have caused a $300 million loss. This affects businesses and individuals who rely on stable internet connectivity.
However, the government denies any intentional disruption of internet services. State Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja suggested. That the slowdown might be due to users’ widespread use of VPNs.
