ISLAMABAD: The claim by Pakistan’s Minister of State for Information Technology, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, that widespread use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) is responsible for recent internet disruptions has been refuted by IT experts.
The experts argue that VPN usage cannot account for the extensive connectivity issues experienced across the country.
During a news conference on Sunday, Khawaja stated that Pakistan’s internet was neither blocked nor deliberately slowed down by the government. Instead, she attributed the disruptions to increased VPN usage.
According to Khawaja, as certain online services faced restrictions, users turned to VPNs, which she claimed exerted technical strain on the network and led to slower internet speeds.
In response, IT expert Malik Mudassar challenged this explanation, asserting that VPN usage typically results in only a minor slowdown of individual connections—around 10 to 15 percent. Mudassar emphasized that this level of impact would not be sufficient to cause nationwide internet issues.
Mudassar suggested an alternative cause for the disruptions: the recent installation of a comprehensive firewall intended to monitor and control social media traffic. He argued that this firewall could be affecting overall internet speed and accessibility.
Mudassar proposed that implementing more targeted firewalls might mitigate these issues without disrupting general internet use and online businesses.
The IT minister had previously assured that mobile companies are collaborating with technical experts to address the issue and improve internet performance. Khawaja also promised that preventive measures would be put in place to avoid similar disruptions in the future.
