The government’s recent attempts to install a firewall to shield itself from cyberattacks have inadvertently caused severe disruptions to Pakistan’s IT industry, according to industry experts. The nation has been experiencing significant internet slowdowns, with the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP) reporting a 30-40% drop in internet speeds over the past few weeks.
Impact on Businesses and Freelancers Faisal Farooq, COO of AlphaRages Pvt Ltd, highlighted that these outages result in direct financial losses, disrupt operations, damage productivity, and erode customer trust. Similarly, Wardah Noor, CEO of xWave, an online learning platform, reported that internet disruptions have severely impacted their operations, leading to losses in advertising revenue and difficulties in conducting live sessions for their tech courses.
Amar Makhdoom, CEO of Invents Global, pointed out that the timing of these outages couldn’t be worse, especially as Pakistan had the opportunity to capitalize on the unrest in Bangladesh and gain a larger share of the $5 billion-plus IT services export market. He noted that many companies are now struggling to meet deadlines due to the slow internet, which could have long-term consequences for Pakistan’s reputation as a reliable tech destination.
Industry Leaders Express Concern Zohaib Khan, Chairman of P@SHA, stated that these disruptions have created a negative impact on the ‘Digital Pakistan’ brand, with potential financial losses estimated at $300 million. Sources in the e-commerce industry also warned that interrupted internet services are causing delays across the board, from sellers and warehouses to customers, leading to a severely impacted business and user experience.
Travel Agents and Software Companies Affected Travel agents like Hammad Haleem are facing difficulties locking in fares due to the lag in internet connections, while software companies like Mazik Global fear that the disruptions could undo years of efforts to position Pakistan as a global tech destination.
Digital Rights Concerns Digital rights consultant Arsalan Khan criticized the government’s actions, arguing that the IT sector, which has been one of the few thriving industries in Pakistan’s struggling economy, is now at risk of collapse. He also warned that such measures could lead to a higher exodus of young, talented, and skilled workers from the country.
Government Response Despite the mounting outcry, officials from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) have remained largely silent. However, telecom sources confirmed that the mobile signals and internet services had slowed down due to the installation of the new firewall. They claimed that all social media services would normalize in two to three days following the trial period.
Senate Committee’s Concerns The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication (IT&T) has taken up the issue, urging the government to ascertain the exact reasons for the internet slowdown and provide an official response. The committee has directed the PTA to submit a detailed report within 15 days.
These ongoing disruptions threaten to undermine the significant investments made to project Pakistan as a viable tech destination. If not addressed promptly, the country risks losing out on a substantial portion of its $3 billion IT export market.
