IT Minister Amin Ul Haq, the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Information Technology (IT), recently addressed concerns about internet speed in Pakistan. The slowdown is due, to some extent, to problems with the submarine cable, which affects internet connectivity as an essential infrastructure. Additionally, this could be due to blocked access by a firewall or web management system that makes the internet seem very slow in some parts, pointing out various factors contributing to this problem.
Investigation into Internet Speed Issues
He then disclosed that the committee had summoned all relevant stakeholders regarding that particular scenario, and they wanted explanations concerning why the internet became slower. During these deliberations, it was established that it occurred because of a failure in the submarine cable. These firewalls or web management systems affecting internet speeds might be in certain regions. This information has helped unearth what may have contributed to such challenges and how to rectify them.
Economic Impact of Internet Slowdownairman also explained how this poor connectivity affected the Pakistani economy and its people. The telecommunication industry alone has lost approximately 300 million PKR due to this issue. Furthermore, we still count the losses incurred by freelancers working from home and call centres. It shows how essential fast and reliable internet services are for national economic growth, mainly in online-dependent sectors like this.
PTA’s Role and Future Outlook
He expressed his dismay that the PTA did not give any prior signals about the imminent slowdown of these telecom services. He believed there were initial communications from PTA, which, if available, would have somewhat reduced its economic impact based on contingency plans made by businesses and individuals. Nevertheless, despite current challenges, he expects improved connection rates to be achieved by August 27th because they are working to solve those problems correctly.
Clarification from the PTA Chairman
PTA Chairman Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman previously rejected the claim that firewalls were causing the internet slowdown. He also showed that there is no such firewall in Pakistan, which slows down connection speeds and instead explained the submarine cable problem as the number one reason for this situation. Another thing he said was that instead of using a firewall, Pakistan has adopted a web management system which will help manage internet traffic flow efficiently without any interference. This clarification aims at dispelling confusion about the technicalities behind this slow internet.
The ongoing internet slowdown in Pakistan has led to several issues, from infrastructure faults to potential impacts on web management systems. Amin Ul Haq and PTA suggest improving communication channels to ensure timely responses. Solving these problems would be essential as they have already resulted in significant monetary losses so far, hence maintaining an uninterrupted operation of the digital economy in Pakistan. Therefore, businesses and people look forward to these improvements after August 27th.
