Pakistani experts refute IT Minister's claim about internet disruption

ISLAMABAD: The Information Technology (IT) experts refused the Minister of State for IT, Shaza Fatima’s claim that the widespread use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) caused internet disruption in Pakistan, ARY News reported on Sunday.

During a news conference in Islamabad, Shaza Fatima stated that the internet was neither blocked nor deliberately slowed down, but rather that the increased use of VPNs caused technical strain on the network.

She mentioned that as certain services became restricted, more users turned to VPNs, which she claimed negatively impacted internet speed in the country.

In response, IT expert Malik Mudassar, speaking to ARY News, rejected this claim, arguing that VPN usage only slows down the individual user’s connection by 10 to 15 percent and does not cause nationwide internet issues.

Mudassar suggested that the real cause might be the installation of a firewall to monitor social traffic, which could be affecting overall internet speed.

He recommended that the government implement targeted firewalls to avoid disrupting online businesses and general internet use.

The minister assured that mobile companies are working with technical experts to resolve the issue and promised that steps would be taken to prevent such problems in the future.