Internet Disruptions In Pakistan: Monitoring Tools Contradicts Govt’s Claims

Platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok became either inaccessible or were operating at extremely slow speeds which caused frustration among the users.

LAHORE: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Dec 2^nd, 2024) The internet users across Pakistan are facing difficulties accessing various online platforms, with reports of disruptions and slow speeds. However, the government continues to deny any issues with internet performance, a stance contradicted by certain monitoring tools.

The Platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok became either inaccessible or were operating at extremely slow speeds which caused the frustration among the users.

The reports of issues with the apps are coming in from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and other parts of the country.

This problem has persisted for several days. While no clear cause has been identified, some reports attribute it to the installation of firewall systems.

Internet services severely affected in major cities

Despite the user complaints, the Minister of State for IT, Shaza Fatima, claimed in an interview with a local tv said that all apps and broadband services in the country are functioning at 100%.

The minister said, “The broadband network is fully operational, and all data services are functioning properly. The industry primarily used broadband, which has not been shut down." She acknowledged, however, that Pakistan has a shortage of mobile towers and that efforts are underway to improve this infrastructure.

She also highlighted the daily occurrence of hundreds of cyberattacks, emphasizing the need for cybersecurity.

She reassured that the freedom of expression is available on platforms like YouTube and Facebook but in the matters of security, the Ministry of Interior provided the directives to the PTA.

Contradicting government claims

The online tools monitoring real-time internet activity painted a different picture.

A report revealed that the tools like the Internet Outage Detection and Analysis (IODA), developed by the Georgia Institute of Technology, indicated restricted access to several social media apps for hours despite stability at the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) level.

According to Google service traffic analysis, there was lower-than-usual activity which corroborated the user difficulties.

Downdetector also reported disruptions on platforms like WhatsApp, Gmail and YouTube, with the users consistently flagging issues.

The IT professionals warn that the persistent internet issues inflecting substantial economic losses. They thought that Pakistan's telecom sector earned approximately Rs3 billion daily, with 60-70% of the revenue linked to 3g and 4g networks.

The prolonged disruptions severely affected the telecom industry and other sectors reliant on internet connectivity.

The internet’s role in Pakistan’s economy highlighted the urgency of resolving the said issues to mitigate further losses.