Top Pakistani digital rights group says VPN use not behind Internet slowdown

Food delivery men use their mobile phones as they sit near a restaurant in Islamabad on August 17, 2024. (AFP/File)

• Mysterious weeks-long Internet slowdown has affected millions of Pakistanis, adversely hit businesses, drawn nationwide complaints
• Bytes For All says Pakistan’s Internet disruptions may be linked to government’s trial of an upgraded web management system

ISLAMABAD: Top Pakistani digital advocacy group Bytes for All (B4A) has in its latest digital forensic report disputed claims by the Pakistan government that recent Internet disruptions and slowdowns are due to a surge in the use of VPNs, arguing that VPNs were actually improving Internet speed and access in certain scenarios.
A mysterious weeks-long Internet slowdown has affected millions of Pakistanis, adversely hit businesses and drawn nationwide complaints. The telecommunications authority has attributed the slowdown to damaged underwater cables while IT Minister Shaza Khawaja has blamed a surge in VPN use.
In a report entitled “Slow Internet in Pakistan and the Smokescreen of VPNs,” Bytes for All debunked claims that VPNs were the main cause for slow Internet in Pakistan.
“Essentially, this slowdown is not caused by the Sharks or excessive VPNs use by the citizens,” the report concluded.
Among the report’s key findings are that Pakistan’s Internet slowdown may be linked to the government’s trial of an upgraded web management system or national firewall. The government denies any firewall, if imposed, would be used for censorship purposes.
“Although the government denies any association with Internet disruptions, digital rights groups are concerned that this slowdown is causing major socio-economic disruption and has the potential for increased censorship and surveillance,” B4A said. 
“Contrary to some government claims, the report suggests that using VPNs can actually improve Internet speed and access in certain scenarios, indicating that VPNs may help users bypass throttling and maintain a faster, more stable Internet connection in the country.”
The slowdown has significant implications for Pakistan’s digital economy. With IT exports having grown by 137 percent over the last five years, any disruption could jeopardize this upward trend, affecting not only businesses but also Pakistan’s economic growth, B4A has warned. 
The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@sha) has said IT businesses, apart from reputational damage, have suffered losses of at least $300 million due to the recent Internet disruptions.
Pakistan is banking on its nascent but growing Information Technology industry to increase its exports and generate critical foreign exchange revenue for a cash-strapped country.