Pakistani actress Hina Khawaja Bayat questions the restrictions on the internet in Pakistan in a recent social media post. She said the slow speed of the internet is affecting businesses in Pakistan.
The frustrated actress said the internet’s slow speed affects people’s livelihoods, contrary to what the government claims is improving the lives of citizens.
“On one hand, we lament our deteriorating economy, and on the other, the government has slowed down internet speeds nationwide,” she said.
“How do you plan to improve the economy by shutting down the internet? What are you afraid of? In this modern age of technology, why are you depriving us of internet access?” she questioned.
“Are you trying to end Pakistan? You are doing what our enemies couldn’t do—are you planning to ruin the country this way?” she exclaimed.
She urged the country’s top officials to urgently solve the issue of slow internet to ease the suffering of the people. Apart from the slow internet, X (formerly known as Twitter) is already blocked in Pakistan. It is only accessible through a VPN. News also reports that the government is planning to install a firewall as well.
Last week, Pakistan experienced widespread internet outages that severely disrupted digital communications across multiple cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, Faisalabad, and Karachi. The outages left millions of social media users struggling with connectivity issues, sparking widespread frustration and concern. Many reported difficulties accessing essential online platforms, such as WhatsApp and Instagram, with users facing slowdowns and frequent disconnections.
Amid the chaos, speculation began to circulate that the disruptions were the result of a new government firewall aimed at monitoring and controlling online activities. However, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) quickly denied these claims, asserting that the issue was not linked to any such firewall. A senior PTA official acknowledged the disruptions but stated that they had yet to receive formal complaints regarding the outages. Despite widespread queries from the public, the cause of the internet slowdown remains unclear, with no official explanation from the PTA.