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Information Minister Attaullah Tarar addressed the media on Tuesday, stating that internet services in Pakistan are “much better and cheaper” compared to many other countries. He refuted claims made in a recent report that internet outages in Pakistan had resulted in substantial financial losses over the past year.
In the second half of 2024, users frequently experienced sluggish speeds, difficulty downloading media on WhatsApp, and intermittent connectivity issues. Digital analysts reported that the government had been experimenting with a “firewall” aimed at overseeing certain platforms and restricting access to content. The government refuted claims of internet throttling, stating instead that it was in the process of updating a ‘web management system’ aimed at improving cyber security.
A recent report from Top10VPN.com, an independent VPN reviewer, indicated that Pakistan experienced the highest financial losses globally due to internet and social media outages and shutdowns last year, amounting to a total financial impact of $1.62 billion.
“This was calculated by a vpn forum, but I believe the internet has gotten better and in the coming days, it will improve further,” Tarar stated.
“You won’t find cheaper internet than we have here, look at the ads with the slogans regarding unlimited data, whether telecom or Local Area Network (LAN) system,” he added.
The information minister added that there have been improvements concerning the internet, adding, “There were a few glitches in the past but now I feel this is more of a political discussion without evidence.”
In a recent statement, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja highlighted that the comprehensive statistical assessment of Pakistan’s exports experienced a remarkable 33% increase over five months, noting that such a milestone would have seemed unimaginable if internet disruptions had been a regular occurrence.
The comparative growth of internet users from 2023 to 2024 was up by 25%c, she said, adding that this was a “reflection of the tedious and committed efforts put together [sic] by the IT ministry regarding internet connectivity”.
In a related development, IT Minister has confirmed that Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet company, has been registered with Pakistan’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SECP). Additionally, the government is in the process of developing a regulatory framework to facilitate the opening of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite services to all international companies.
Pakistan is also expected to benefit from the 2Africa Submarine Cable System, which is designed to significantly improve the speed and reliability of the internet. The system will provide Pakistan with 24 terabytes of bandwidth upon its operationalization in Q4 2025, which will significantly enhance the performance of platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.
