PPP criticises govt over internet outage, firewall installation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNA Abdul Qadir Patel expressed concern over the internet speed in Pakistan and questioned the authorities about the type of firewall being used that is hindering internet access.

Addressing the National Assembly, Abdul Qadir Patel said that the internet outage has severely impacted the daily lives of citizens, especially businesses and children’s education.

He urged the authorities to resolve the issue promptly.

The PPP MNA asked the concerned authorities to take every possible measure to normalise the situation at the earliest

“When will the internet start operating at full speed? Whether it’s X, Y, or Z, tell me when the problem will be resolved,” Abdul Qadir Patel asked.

Earlier in the day, State Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja clarified that the decision to restrict social media platform X (Twitter) was made by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) under the directives of the Ministry of Interior.

“PTA is an autonomous body responsible for regulations,” said Shaza Fatima while responding to queries about slow internet and restrictions on X in the National Assembly.

The minister rejected the impression of relating X restrictions to freedom of expression, adding that only 2% of Pakistan’s population uses X, making the impact minimal.

Shaza Fatima Khawaja said according to PTA report, internet speed has improved by 28% since last year, and mobile internet users have grown by 24%.

Chairman of the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), Sajjad Mustafa Syed, had stated that the current internet speed issues are expected to be resolved within a three-month timeframe, amidst concerns that the implementation of a firewall may cause connectivity problems.

He remarked, “If a message is being sent via WhatsApp but images are not transmitting, it may indicate that monitoring is taking place.”

Users in various regions of Pakistan are experiencing intermittent internet outages and reduced speeds, which hinder their ability to browse, download, and share media effectively.