Pakistan can lose $3 billion in IT sector exports: Senator Afnan

ISLAMABAD: The citizens are currently suffering from the slow internet in Pakistan, affecting the businesses of freelancers and digital agencies across the country, ARY News reported on Thursday.

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology, chaired by Palusha Khan, convened to address the recent disruptions in internet service across Pakistan and sought a detailed report on the issue within two weeks.

During the meeting, Senator Afnan Ullah Khan highlighted that due to the internet disruption, freelancers and digital agencies have already lost $500 million and impacted the country’s economy.

Senator Afnanullah voiced concerns over the assumption that security is achieved by simply shutting down internet services, stressing the need for uninterrupted service in the country.

Minister of State for IT, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, also highlighted that there have been widespread complaints about slow internet speeds.

She stressed the importance of reliable internet for the digital economy and government operations and revealed ongoing efforts to auction 5G services.

Shaza Fatima also requested data from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for the last two weeks to assess internet traffic and speed, noting that complaints about WhatsApp outages have been addressed.

She pointed out that international cyber security attacks are increasingly targeting the country, underscoring the need for the state to enhance its capabilities to prevent such incidents.

The Minister of State also mentioned that firewalls are commonly used globally, and the government had previously implemented a web management system.

On the other hand, the Secretary of IT, Aisha Humera, acknowledged that the disruptions were related to mobile operators’ services and assured the committee that data is being collected from these operators and will be presented in the requested time frame.

Despite the challenges, Aisha Humera promised that the internet issue would be resolved soon across Pakistan.

The Senate Standing Committee will reconvene once the detailed report is submitted to review the findings and decide on further actions.