Islamabad [Pakistan]: Pakistan’s Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Division, Syed Sajid Mehdi, has recommended that citizens “use the internet less” and limit usage to “important matters only” as a means of addressing the widespread slowdowns in internet speed across the country, Dawn reported.
Mehdi’s comments come amidst growing frustration over sluggish connectivity, which has impacted users nationwide. Pakistan continues to grapple with persistent internet disruptions, including slow download speeds on apps like WhatsApp and intermittent outages, prompting concerns about their implications on the country’s IT sector.
Highlighting the financial impact, Sajjad Mustafa Syed, Chairman of the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), previously noted that the IT sector incurs losses of over USD 1 million per hour of internet disruption, significantly affecting export-driven businesses.
“A one-hour internet slowdown might not have any significant impact on people, but disturbed services to a client in any stock market, airport service, bank, etc., in advanced countries would eventually lead to loss of confidence in Pakistan’s IT sector,” he said.
Addressing the issue on a DawnNews TV program, Mehdi likened the internet infrastructure to a congested road, stating:
“There are large loads on our internet, [just] like on a congested road. Cars move slower if there is congestion. If 10 people use a road meant for five, it will slow everything down.”
He attributed the slowdowns to Pakistan’s underdeveloped fiber-optic network, which reportedly has only 15% of the capacity available in India. Mehdi assured that expansion efforts are underway and expected to resolve the issue “very quickly,” promising improvements within three to four months.
When asked whether population growth contributes to the slowdowns, Mehdi acknowledged its role, adding that reducing “unnecessary” internet usage could enhance performance:
“I’m not saying stop using it, but use it only for important purposes like work, and not for unnecessary purposes.”
Mehdi also downplayed claims of significant financial losses reported by P@SHA, stating:
“We have not been told officially that the shutdown has caused financial losses. Nobody has filed any requests or complaints about financial losses.”
Additionally, Dawn reported that the government has been testing a firewall system capable of monitoring and blocking online content, such as images or videos from protests shared on social media. Digital analysts have linked these measures to the ongoing internet slowdowns, sparking further debate over their impact on connectivity.