Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Department, Syed Sajid Mehdi, has advised Pakistanis to limit their use of the Internet to “important matters only” to address persistent connectivity issues. Speaking on a television programme, Mehdi likened internet congestion to traffic jams, attributing slow speeds to overuse and limited fiber-optic capacity in the country, which he said was 15% compared to 45% in India.
The proposal comes amid widespread complaints of slow internet speeds and intermittent disruptions, which particularly affects IT professionals and businesses that rely on digital infrastructure. The Pakistan Software Association (P@SHA) estimates that an internet outage for just one hour costs the sector more than $1 million, potentially eroding international confidence in Pakistan’s IT capabilities.
Digital analysts point out that the government is testing the firewall to monitor and block content, exacerbating connectivity problems. Mahdi denied official knowledge of the financial losses incurred by the information technology sector, stressing that no official complaints had been submitted. However, he assured that the modernization of Pakistan’s fiber network will be completed within months to alleviate the problem.
Despite criticism from IT industry leaders and professionals, Mahdi reiterated his call for citizens to limit unnecessary browsing, stressing that excessive Internet use hampers speeds and contributes to what he described as “negative thinking.”