Internet slowdown issues continue to plague Pakistan, with users facing disruptions in services ahead of the government’s deadline for full restoration by the end of October.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has attributed the disruptions to a fault in the undersea cable, insisting that the issue will be resolved soon. However, users continue to experience slow internet speeds, particularly in areas where political protests have been carried out.
Digital rights advocate Haroon Baloch criticized the government’s lack of transparency regarding digital governance matters, stating that the government is using internet disruptions as a tool for censorship and surveillance.
Fareiha Aziz, Co-founder of Bolo Bhi, highlighted the government’s use of internet shutdowns to curb political protests. She also noted the ongoing ban on X, which she believes is unlikely to be lifted soon.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) has been hearing petitions against the X ban, with the state’s counsel submitting a record of responses to the rejection of applications related to X. The court has ordered the provision of documents to all parties and adjourned further hearing till October 17.
