IT minister acknowledges slow internet speeds in Pakistan, vows improvement

State Minister for Information Technology, Shaza Fatima, has acknowledged the slow internet speeds in Pakistan, addressing concerns about the country's connectivity issues.

Speaking at the National Broadband Network Forum in Islamabad, the minister highlighted that the situation would improve with the implementation of the Fiberisation Policy and the introduction of 5G technology.

Fatima confirmed that the auction for the 5G spectrum would take place in April, and efforts would be made to enhance the existing 4G infrastructure as well.

She also pointed out that Pakistan faces significant cybersecurity challenges, with daily cyberattacks occurring across the country.

The minister emphasised the government's commitment to cybersecurity and data protection, recognizing it as a critical responsibility.

She also announced that the Prime Minister has formed a National Digital Commission, which will present a five-year roadmap for digital development in Pakistan.

The Digital Pakistan Bill will be introduced in the National Assembly today, with hopes of its swift approval. Once passed, the bill will pave the way for the establishment of the National Digital Commission.

Fatima explained that the Prime Minister would head the commission, and she expressed confidence that the opposition would support the Digital Pakistan Bill.

Under the commission’s oversight, a Digital Authority will be established, which is expected to play a key role in improving internet speeds in the coming years.

Pakistan ranked among slowest for internet speed

As internet woes continue to hamper digital activities, Pakistan has landed in the bottom 12% globally for both mobile and broadband internet speeds, as reported by Ookla's Speedtest Global Index.

The index ranked the country 100th out of 111 countries in mobile internet speeds and 141st out of 158 countries in broadband speeds as of October.

For the past several months, users across the nation have been facing slow connections, including difficulty downloading media on WhatsApp and frequent connectivity issues.

The disruptions have raised concerns, particularly as Pakistan continues to experience interruptions to internet access and reports of restricted virtual private network (VPN) usage.

VPNs, which many Pakistanis rely on to access blocked websites such as X (formerly Twitter), have become increasingly restricted.

According to the World Population Review, which uses Ookla's Speedtest Global Index and Cable data, Pakistan's average download speed stands at 7.85 MBPS.

The median mobile download speed is 19.59 MBPS, and the median broadband download speed is 15.52 MBPS. As of May 2023, the country was ranked among the slowest internet speeds globally, according to reports on Pakistan's digital landscape and human rights situation.

Earlier, in August, the government confirmed that it was upgrading its "web management system" to address growing cybersecurity threats.

Meanwhile, despite government assurances, human rights groups like Amnesty International have raised alarms, urging Pakistani authorities to provide more transparency about the nationwide internet slowdown and the use of monitoring and surveillance technologies.