Online surveillance slows mobile, internet speed in Pakistan; among slowest in the world

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has been ranked among the lowest globally for slow mobile and broadband internet speeds in the world in Oct, revealed data shared by Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index on Monday.
Since Mid-July, internet users in Pakistan have reported frequent slowdowns and persistent connectivity challenges in the country, causing widespread disruptions to browsing and media sharing.
The global index placed Pakistan at 100 out of 111 countries in mobile internet speeds, and 141 out of 158 countries in broadband speeds.
The country’s regular internet interruptions were accompanied by reports of restricted access to virtual private networks (VPNs), which many Pakistanis use to access X and other restricted websites.
According to the World Population Review, which analysed data from Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index and Cable, Pakistan’s average download speed was 7.85 MBPS, with a median mobile download speed of 19.59 MBPS and a median broadband download speed of 15.52 MBPS.
Internet service providers and the business community blamed the slump in services on the govt’s installation of a Chinese-built national internet firewall, a combination of hardware and software used by authorities to control and monitor internet traffic, acting as a digital gatekeeper that decides what data to allow or block.
The national firewall, also being installed on servers of major internet providers, has the capability to detect and slow digital communication between individual users.
Last month, Pakistan home ministry had sought a ban on unregulated use of VPNs, citing their use by terrorists to “facilitate violent activities” and to “access pornographic and blasphemous content”.
“VPNs are increasingly being exploited by terrorists to facilitate violent activities and financial transactions in Pakistan,” the ministry said in a letter to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).