New Delhi: The Pakistan government’s default response to any perceived national security threats these days, it appears, is to shut down the internet. WhatsApp is the latest target of the government’s digital censorship. And Pakistanis have had enough.
Freelancers are out on the streets protesting the lack of connectivity, industrialists have raised concerns about how the digital censorship in Pakistan has affected the economy and may lead to a ‘mass exodus of businesses’, and activists are calling for more transparency and accountability.
The implications of this digital disruption are particularly severe for sectors that form the backbone of Pakistan’s digital economy. Call centres, e-commerce platforms, and other electronic businesses are struggling to maintain operations, with many considering relocating to countries with more stable internet services, Dawn reported. An X user who conducts digital skill development sessions in the country pointed out how she was unable to take classes since the students had no internet access.
For the past week, major online platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp have been hit hard, with users reporting slowdowns and connectivity issues. Some speculate that the government has implemented a firewall to monitor and control user activity, a claim denied by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). However, the lack of transparency fuels suspicions and anxieties.
The Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP) has now raised alarms over the impact of the government’s intensified efforts to monitor internet traffic. According to WISPAP, these measures have inadvertently resulted in a dramatic decrease in internet speeds, dropping by 30 to 40 per cent nationwide, Dawn reported.
“Many are leaving the smaller ISPs because they cannot sustain the poor service quality anymore. If this continues, we will see a mass exodus of businesses from Pakistan,” WISPAP chairman, Shahzad Arshad, told the newspaper.
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What is the firewall?
The government of Pakistan is advancing a regulatory framework or a firewall to oversee OTT services, led by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). It is intended for communication services such as WhatsApp, Skype, and Viber, social media platforms such as X and LinkedIn, and online gaming and e-commerce services. It will also cover non-broadcasting services such as YouTube and Netflix.
The move is led by the government and the Army to crack down on what the latter calls ‘digital terrorism’. This follows the country-wide ban on social media platform X, where Pakistanis registered protests against the authorities. It has been blocked since February this year.
Despite this, ministers and government departments still use X for official communications via virtual private networks (VPNs). Now, the authorities seem to believe that WhatsApp has become the new platform for dissent, so they’re restricting it, with little concern for the social and economic disruptions this might cause, Dawn wrote in an editorial on 15 August.
“Each time the internet is shut down in Pakistan, it sends ripples through the international media, painting a picture of a country that is not fully in step with the demands of the digital era. This negative press can be as damaging as the shutdowns themselves, reinforcing stereotypes that overshadow the positive work that is happening on the ground in Pakistan when it comes to technology,” Asia Group head Uzair Younus wrote in an editorial on Dawn.
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Disruptions, restrictions and despair
Across social media, visuals were shared of freelancers and gig economy workers who lost their jobs protesting on the street. The freelancing platform Fiverr has restricted the accounts of many Pakistanis due to poor internet connectivity, leading to a loss of income.
“While Pakistan grapples with its many economic woes, this connectivity crisis threatens to sap whatever economic potential is left in the services industry. Given our earlier failed experiments at banning YouTube and Facebook, it is about time we learned not to throw the baby out with the bathwater,” Dawn wrote in its editorial.
However, those close to the establishment refuse to relent. Speaking at an Aaj TV show, Brigadier Haris Nawaz said that the shutdowns are a necessary step in the right direction.
“Social media is damaging national security where most are supporting the narrative of the enemy. All of this is being done to show how the Army is weak,” he said, deflecting repeatedly when asked about why platforms like WhatsApp weren’t working and its effect on Pakistan’s economy.
“It is like the question is about pulses and he keeps talking about wheat. When asked about internet shutdowns, he keeps saying terrorism,” one YouTube user pointed out.
Meanwhile, Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz proudly tweeted a picture of a Pakistan government ad on a screen in New York’s Times Square—it read ‘Pakistan Punjab opens its doors to IT revolution’. She called it a testament to “Punjab making unprecedented strides”. The irony wasn’t lost on people.
Nawaz Sharif IT City on Times Square screens. Punjab making unprecedented strides Alhamdolillah! 🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/hhjSpQWOER
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) August 13, 2024
“Twitter in Pakistan? Banned. Internet? Shitty. Freedom to express on the internet? Monitored and controlled. IT advancements or developments? None. But yes, let’s put up screens in the US. Priorities,” one disgruntled X user wrote.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)