On Sunday, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja has denied the involvement of the government in the recent internet shutdowns across the country and blames the access use of VPNs.
She attempted to reassure reporters at today’s press conference held in Islamabad that VPNs are solely to blame for the internet’s slowdown or shutdown rather than the federal authorities. She claimed that excessive VPN use can delay connections by rerouting data through distant servers.
The Minister of State for Information Technology Shaza Fatima assured that her team is working day and night with internet service providers and telcos to find the cause. and stressed that the issue has been handled and discouraged the use of VPNs in order to lessen the strain on the internet.
She added that the nation is constructing a strong cyber security infrastructure in order to defend itself from cyber-attacks. She reportedly said, “It is the right of the government to [take such measures] given the cybersecurity attacks that this country has to go through.”
Shaza said that the government is committed to assisting the industry and boosting the nation’s reputation and emphasized how these views might affect investment chances.
The Minister also described current initiatives to improve Pakistan’s IT infrastructure, such as the installation of four additional cables after approval.
She reassured that the government remains dedicated to supporting the youth and promoting the IT sector. A significant budget of over 60 billion has been granted to IT despite budgetary challenges. She reassured that the prime minister’s top focus is information technology, and that initiatives are in place to guarantee increased openness and sustained industry growth.
According to a report by AFP, Activists and business leaders claim that Pakistan’s government is restraining social media and the internet while new regulations are being tested, endangering the nation’s economic recovery.
Since July, internet networks have been up to 40 percent slower than normal, according to one IT association, while documents, images and voice notes have been disrupted on WhatsApp, used by tens of millions of people.
According to one IT association, Since July the internet networks have been up to 40 percent slower than normal, however, tens of millions of users of WhatsApp have experienced disruptions with documents, photos, and voice notes.
The minister disclosed a number of projects, such as the construction of two new IT parks in Islamabad and Karachi, the installation of 250 e-employment centers around the country, and the start of elementary school curricula that teach coding in five different languages.
According to her, the objective is to build a virtual production studio, extend internet infrastructure with four additional cables, and provide 5G technology to every citizen of the nation.
In order to improve the economy and the lives of all citizens, Shaza was positive about the future and focused on digital advancements.
