On Thursday, internet users across various cities in Pakistan experienced connectivity issues, adding to ongoing concerns about service disruptions.
This latest outage occurred just a day after internet service providers (ISPs) raised alarms about the government’s intensified efforts to monitor online traffic, which they claim have led to a significant nationwide slowdown.
The Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (Wispap) reported that internet speeds had dropped by 30 to 40 percent over the past few weeks.
The association also warned that the situation had become so severe that many businesses were contemplating moving their operations abroad.
Major online platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp have been particularly affected, with users reporting slow speeds and difficulty accessing these services since last week.
Some users speculated that the disruptions were due to the government installing a firewall to monitor and control internet usage. However, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has denied that the issues are related to any such firewall. Despite multiple inquiries, PTA has yet to provide a detailed response.
According to Downdetector, a website that tracks internet outages, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) was the most impacted, with services from Zong, Nayatel, and Fiberlink also being affected.
