Pakistan’s Internet Slowdown: What’s Causing it?

Pakistan is facing a slowdown of internet and social media for the last few weeks. The situation has raised concerns among the business community, especially those who solely rely on the Internet for running their businesses. In this regard, the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP) claimed that the government’s increasing measures to monitor internet traffic had led to a nationwide slowdown of internet services.

In a statement, WISPAP said, “Over the past few weeks, internet speeds have plummeted by 30 to 40 percent, creating a chaotic situation for businesses and individuals who rely heavily on fast, reliable connectivity.”

Moreover, the association mentioned that the impact of the internet slowdown had been specifically detrimental for call centers, e-commerce professionals, the online working class, and those who manage electronic-related businesses.

“These sectors, which form the backbone of Pakistan’s burgeoning digital economy, are now struggling to maintain operations, and the slowdown is threatening their very survival,” it said. In addition, the association pointed out that the situation had become so alarming that many businesses were considering migrating their operations to other countries. In this regard, WISPAP Chairman Shahzad Arshad said,

“It’s a very discouraging situation for our customers. Many are leaving the smaller ISPs because they cannot sustain the poor service quality anymore. If this continues, we will see a mass exodus of businesses from Pakistan.”

Various industry leaders have also reinforced Mr. Arshad’s concerns and warned that the current situation not only maligns Pakistan’s reputation as a hub for digital entrepreneurship but also threatens its economic stability.

Furthermore, the inability to use VPNs because of heightened surveillance further aggravates the issue, especially for international businesses and freelancers.

“We are seeing businesses planning to shift their operations abroad because the internet is simply no longer reliable,” said a leading e-commerce entrepreneur based in Karachi. “Without fast and secure internet, we cannot compete on a global scale, and this is pushing us towards the brink.”

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