ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja Sunday denied government involvement as the reason for the recent internet slowdown across the country.
Instead, the minister blamed users for using a virtual private network (VPN) as the reason “their phones” slowed down. “I can swear that the government of Pakistan has not blocked the internet or slowed it down,” Khawaja said at a news conference in Islamabad today, acknowledging public outrage over occasional internet problems.
The minister said that the government is talking to experts and is trying day and night to find out the situation. She added that some apps weren’t downloading, so people were using a VPN. “Turning on VPN slows down the phone.” The minister’s statement comes at a time when millions of people across the country continue to face problems accessing internet services due to limited connectivity, especially when using mobile data in some regions.
Several experts, including the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP), blamed the phenomenon on increased security and surveillance due to the installation of a firewall in the country to control unwanted content from reaching a wider audience.
Earlier this week, Khawaja defended his decision to enforce the Internet firewall, calling it a cybersecurity measure “that every country in the world is adopting.” “Also look at the cyber security attacks that are being carried out on the country and the world. As cyber threats evolve, states must have a better ability to ensure that threats are [well] responded to,” she said on Thursday.
