We are now some weeks into an apparent internet slowdown in Pakistan, but no clearer on what is causing it, albeit activists and the state seem to have decided who is to blame.
Activists say the state is building a China-style internet firewall as it looks to exert further control over the online space. Officials blame the widespread use of secure connections or VPN (virtual private networks) for the slowdown.
However, the government does have a record of interfering with the internet in the past. It reportedly suspended mobile internet services across the country just before voting got underway in the country’s general election in February, ostensibly for security reasons.
It also recently shut down services to prevent the holding of online rallies by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party led by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan.
The BBC says the micro-blogging platform X (formerly Twitter), where Mr Khan has nearly 21 million followers, has been blocked since the February elections due to ‘national security’ concerns.
In this case, however, the minister of state for information technology Shaza Fatima insists that the government is not behind the slowdown and has been working with internet service providers and telcos to resolve the issue. She blames a large number of people using VPNs. She does, however, say that the government has been upgrading its systems to improve cybersecurity.
Activists are not impressed and insist a firewall can be detected, whose purpose, they allege, is to monitor online traffic, limit dissemination of information online spaces, and curb political expression.
Whether or not it is to blame, one big problem for the government is the economic effects of slow internet connections, which could affect Pakistan’s business potential and worry investors.
Still, many people are not convinced by government denials. The BBC reports that activists have filed a petition before the Islamabad High Court, calling for access to the internet to be declared a fundamental right under Pakistan’s constitution.
