Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Division Syed Sajid Mehdi on Sunday suggested that citizens limit their internet use to “important matters only.” His comments come as the nation grapples with sluggish speeds, intermittent connectivity, and mounting frustrations from professionals and businesses reliant on digital networks.
Speaking on DawnNews TV’s program Doosra Rukh, Mehdi likened the internet to a congested road, explaining that excessive usage was contributing to slower speeds.
“There are large loads on our internet, [just] like on a congested road,” he said. “Cars move slower if there is congestion. If 10 people use a road meant for five, it will slow everything down.”
The secretary attributed the slowdowns to Pakistan’s underdeveloped fiber network, which he claimed operates at only 15 percent capacity compared to India’s 45 percent. He added that work was underway to address these infrastructure issues and assured the public that improvements would be completed “very quickly,” estimating a timeline of three to four months.
In recent months, internet users have reported challenges such as difficulty downloading media on platforms like WhatsApp and overall sluggish connectivity. These issues have been particularly disruptive for professionals in the IT sector, who have criticized the government’s handling of internet access, especially in the context of its efforts to counter “propaganda or terrorism” online.
Digital analysts have pointed to the government’s testing of a digital firewall as a potential cause for some of the disruptions. This firewall reportedly monitors platforms and can block content, such as images or videos of rallies shared on WhatsApp.
Industry experts have raised alarms about the economic impact of these disruptions. Sajjad Mustafa Syed, Chairman of the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), highlighted the financial toll on export businesses and IT services. He noted that even an hour of internet outages or slowdowns could result in losses exceeding $1 million for the sector.
“Disturbed services to a client in any stock market, airport service, or bank in advanced countries would eventually lead to a loss of confidence in Pakistan’s IT sector,” he warned.
Despite these concerns, Mehdi dismissed the notion that internet slowdowns were causing significant financial damage.
“We have not been told officially that the shutdown has caused financial losses. Nobody has filed any requests or complaints about financial losses,” he claimed.
Mehdi also proposed that limiting non-essential internet usage could alleviate the problem, urging citizens to focus on productive activities online. He said that curbing what he termed “unnecessary” use of the internet would improve speeds.
“I’m not saying stop using it, but use it only for important purposes like work, and not for unnecessary purposes,” he said.
He further suggested that curbing what he described as “negative thinking” on the internet could benefit society.
While Mehdi acknowledged the strain caused by population growth and increased internet demand, his comments have drawn criticism from professionals and digital rights activists, who argue that the government must prioritize investment in infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted access to reliable internet services.
As work on expanding Pakistan’s digital infrastructure continues, the debate over balancing security measures with economic growth and individual freedoms remains at the forefront of public discourse.
