Islamabad, Aug 15: ISPs group alleges that in the last two weeks, speeds have dropped by 30 to 40 percent. It also warns that businesses are thinking about moving their operations abroad, internet service providers claimed that a major nationwide slowdown in services had occurred as a result of the government’s increased efforts to monitor internet traffic, a move that alarmed the business community.
The country’s digital economy has been badly crippled by the government’s determination to increase security and surveillance, according to a statement released by the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP). “Businesses and individuals who rely heavily on fast, reliable connectivity are in a chaotic situation as a result of the 30 to 40% decrease in internet speeds over the past few weeks.”
According to the group, people who run electronic-related enterprises, work in call centers, are in e-commerce, and are members of the online working class have been especially badly affected.The report stated that the situation had gotten so bad that many companies were thinking about moving their operations to other nations where internet services are still reliable. “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,” the report said.
“For our customers, it’s a very discouraging situation,” WISPAP Chairman Shahzad Arshad stated. “A lot of people are switching from smaller ISPs because they can no longer afford the subpar service. There will be a significant business outflow from Pakistan if this keeps up.
Many business leaders expressed similar concerns to Mr. Arshad’s, warning that the current state of affairs is endangering Pakistan’s economic stability in addition to damaging the country’s reputation as a center for digital entrepreneurship. The problem was made worse by the incapacity to use VPNs as a result of increased surveillance, which was particularly problematic for freelancers and foreign companies that rely on reliable, secure internet connection for their operations.
One prominent e-commerce entrepreneur from Karachi stated, “We are seeing businesses planning to shift their operations abroad because the internet is simply no longer reliable.” “We are getting closer to the edge because we cannot compete on a global scale without fast and secure internet.”
According to him, the business community is becoming increasingly alarmed as the government’s actions don’t appear to be slowing down. He regretted that as the nation worked through these difficult times, the future of Pakistan’s digital landscape remained uncertain, with both consumers and businesses suffering the most from the slowdown.
The administration persisted in its resolve to strengthen security, but the question of what price the country’s digital economy would pay persisted. There is an immediate need for a solution that strikes a compromise between security concerns and the requirement for strong and dependable internet connection as businesses continue to suffer, he stated.
Users have reported experiencing slowdowns and difficulties in accessing messaging and social media programs on major web platforms including Facebook and WhatsApp. Some users surmised that the government had erected a firewall to monitor and keep an eye on users, which was the cause of the outages. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) refuted the claim that a firewall was the root of the problem.
