The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has responded to complaints about slow internet services across the country, attributing the issue to cellular networks rather than WiFi services. During a meeting with the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology, PTA officials claimed that they had not received any complaints about slow internet speeds, despite users experiencing difficulties uploading and downloading media files on WhatsApp.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, aimed to address the departure of several e-commerce platforms from Pakistan due to low internet speed. Committee members, including Senator Afnanullah and Senator Humayun, expressed concerns about the impact of slow internet on business activities.
However, the PTA’s response has raised questions about the authority’s awareness of the issue. The secretary of IT attributed the problem to cellular networks, but users have reported experiencing slow internet speeds across various networks.
Meanwhile, the government’s decision to install a firewall across Internet Service Providers (ISPs) has sparked concerns about internet regulation and censorship. The firewall, equipped with deep packet inspection (DPI) technology, will allow for the monitoring of data up to the seventh layer.
The installation of the firewall is seen as a move to control social media and regulate internet traffic, following the enactment of the Defamation Law 2024 by the Punjab government. Critics argue that this could lead to censorship and restrictions on online freedom of expression.
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