In the wake of internet disruptions across Pakistan and speculation over firewall installations, State Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said yesterday that reports suggesting that the internet was being throttled by the government were “completely false.”
On Thursday, Khawaja said that the government had ordered the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and other relevant bodies to submit a report after citizens in various cities of Pakistan claimed they had been facing internet connectivity issues.
Her statement came a day after the business community and internet service providers alleged that the government’s heightened efforts to monitor internet traffic had resulted in a significant nationwide slowdown of services, leading to losses.
On Saturday, the Lahore High Court summoned representatives from the federal government, the information ministry, and the PTA on August 21 over internet disruptions.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad yesterday, Khawaja acknowledged the recent frustration among the public regarding internet issues. “I want to reassure the public that the internet has neither been shut down nor slowed down by the state,” she said.
“Reports suggesting that the internet was being throttled are completely false. The issue was limited to a few services on certain apps not downloading, which led a large segment of the population to start using VPNs,” she added.
