Pak admits for first time it was behind citizens' troubles in accessing internet services

Aug. 16, 2024, 10:27 a.m.

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For the first time, the Pakistani government has confirmed that it was upgrading its ”web management system” to address cyber security threats amidst speculation about the installation of a so-called ‘firewall’ that might be causing internet disruptions in the country, according to a media report on Friday.

So far, official stakeholders in Pakistan have either been feigning ignorance in response to public outcry and media inquiries, or attributing the problems to telecom and internet service providers, or even Meta.

Speaking to reporters following a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications on Thursday, Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the government had requested a report from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and other relevant agencies regarding the recent internet disruption.

“Our goal is to ensure the internet in Pakistan is always fast and reliable. We're actively exploring the potential of 5G technology, and discussions about increasing internet speeds are already underway,” Khawaja stated in an interview with the Dawn newspaper.

When asked about the ‘firewall’ — a general term used by the public to describe the causes of internet disruption without official explanation — she dismissed the issue as “exaggerated”.

“The government has been managing a system for web security. This system is undergoing improvements.” Khawaja described the process as “a standard practice” globally to strengthen internet security, but provided no specific details to support her claims about other countries using a similar system.

“It is the government’s responsibility to take measures to protect its interests given the cyber security attacks that Pakistan is confronting.” This was the first time an acknowledged the government’s actions, which have been blamed for everything from slow browsing speeds, the arbitrary blocking of social media platforms and WhatsApp connectivity issues on mobile data, the paper said.

Advertisement Meanwhile, on Thursday, users continued experiencing issues accessing social media platforms, including WhatsApp.

Downdetector, a website that provides real-time information about internet outages, received an unusually high volume of complaints regarding disruptions in WhatsApp, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram between 12 noon and 1 pm.

On Thursday, a petition was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) challenging the ”nationwide internet shutdown”, demanding immediate restoration of internet access.