By Bashir Khan
ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday said that the internet in Pakistan was “much better and cheaper” as compared to several other countries, as he dismissed claims made in a recent report that internet outages in the country had caused massive financial losses last year.
In the second half of 2024, users frequently experienced sluggish speeds, difficulty downloading me-dia on WhatsApp, and intermittent connectivity issues. Digital analysts said the government had been testing a “firewall” to monitor some platforms and block content. The government denied throttling the internet but said it was updating a ‘web management system’ for enhanced cyber security.
A recent report from Top10VPN.com, an independent VPN reviewer, claimed that Pakistan led the world in terms of financial losses suffered as a result of outages and shutdowns of internet and social media apps last year, with a cumulative financial impact of $1.62bn.
“This was calculated by a vpn forum, but I believe the internet has gotten better and in the coming days, it will improve further,” Tarar said while speaking to reporters at the opening ceremony of Media Cricket League 2025. “You won’t find cheaper internet than we have here, look at the ads with the slo-gans regarding unlimited data, whether telecom or Local Area Network (LAN) system,” he said.
The information minister added that there have been improvements concerning the internet, adding, “There were a few glitches in the past but now I feel this is more of a political discussion without evi-dence.”
On the other hand, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said in a statement that the overall statistical evaluation of Pakistan’s exports saw a 33 per cent growth over five months, “a mark that was incon-ceivable had internet interruptions been a recurrent norm”.
The comparative growth of internet users from 2023 to 2024 was up by 25 pc, she said, adding that this was a “reflection of the tedious and committed efforts put together [sic] by the IT ministry regarding internet connectivity”.
Earlier, Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar said on Tuesday that Pakistan had made tremendous achievements in the sports arena during past few months.
Delivering his speech at the opening ceremony of Media Cricket League 2025, he said upcoming International Cricket Council’s Champions Trophy being held in Pakistan will proved to be a landmark achievement of the country. The minister congratulated the organizers and sponsors of this event and thanked them for promotion of positive activities like sports.
He said that Shalimar Cricket Ground was a beautiful and scenic stadium in the foothills of Margallas and the spectators were going to watch good entertainment.
