IT Minister Refutes Persistent Internet Outage Claims; Cites Growth in Number of Internet Users
Information and Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja vehemently dismissed the notion that internet outages had been a persistent issue over the last year, citing an increase in internet users in Pakistan last year.
According to Minister Khawaja, the total number of internet users in Pakistan surged by 25% from 2023 to 2024. She attributed this growth to the diligent efforts of the IT Ministry, stating that it was a “reflection of the tedious and committed efforts put together [sic] by the IT ministry regarding internet connectivity.”
This assertion comes in the wake of a report by Top10VPN.com, which estimated that internet shutdowns in 2024 cost the Pakistani economy approximately $1.62 billion. However, Khawaja contested these claims, stating that fixed line and broadband services had remained largely uninterrupted except for a brief period in August and September. She said that information about internet closures was “far exaggerated than where it truly stands.”
On a technical note, the Ministry of IT recently dealt with a significant challenge when a fault was detected in the Double AE1 submarine cable, which is pivotal for the country’s internet infrastructure, affecting the flow of 1,000 gbps of data. Minister Khawaja explained that 630 gbps had already been rerouted successfully, and the remaining 200 gbps would also be transferred to another route.
Photo: PPI
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