Islamabad [Pakistan], December 23 (ANI): Pakistan Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Division Syed Sajid Mehdi on Sunday suggested that Pakistanis "use the internet less" and restrict usage to "important matters only" to address frequent slowdowns in internet speed across the country, Dawn reported.

His comments come amid mounting frustrations over sluggish connectivity affecting users nationwide.

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Pakistan has faced persistent connectivity issues, including slow download speeds on platforms like WhatsApp and intermittent internet outages. The disruptions have sparked criticism from IT professionals, who are concerned about the broader implications of these problems on the country's technology sector.

IT industry representatives have highlighted the financial ramifications of such disruptions. "A one-hour internet slowdown might not have any significant impact on people, but disturbed services to a client in any stock market, airport service, bank, etc., in advanced countries would eventually lead to loss of confidence in Pakistan's IT sector," Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) Chairman Sajjad Mustafa Syed said earlier this month. The IT sector has reported losses exceeding USD 1 million for each hour of internet disruption, particularly affecting export-driven businesses.

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Addressing the issue during a DawnNews TV program, Mehdi compared the internet infrastructure to an overcrowded road, stating, "There are large loads on our internet, [just] like on a congested road. Cars move slower if there is congestion. If 10 people use a road meant for five, it will slow everything down."

He attributed the internet slowdowns to Pakistan's underdeveloped fibre-optic network, which has only 15 per cent of the capacity available in India.

Mehdi reassured that work was underway to expand the network and resolve the issue "very quickly." When asked whether population growth contributes to internet slowdowns, he agreed, saying, "If more people use the roads then of course it will slow down. Like I said, this would be fixed within three to four months."

The parliamentary secretary emphasized the need to reduce "unnecessary" internet usage to improve performance. "I'm not saying stop using it, but use it only for important purposes like work, and not for unnecessary purposes," he said. When asked about misuse, Mehdi added, "It will be beneficial if people don't use the internet too much or for negative thinking."

Mehdi also dismissed claims of significant financial losses caused by the slowdowns. Responding to reports by P@SHA, he stated, "We have not been told officially that the shutdown has caused financial losses. Nobody has filed any requests or complaints about financial losses. If anyone has suffered personal losses, then that is a different matter entirely."

As per reports by Dawn, the Pakistan government has reportedly been testing a firewall system that monitors online platforms and has the capacity to block content, such as images or videos from protests shared on social media. Digital analysts have linked these measures to the ongoing slowdowns. (ANI)

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