Internet issues to be addressed on priority basis: Shaza Fatima Khawaja

WEB DESK: Federal Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima has said the government is determined to address internet-related issues on a priority basis, stressing that efforts are under way to minimise disruptions and improve overall service quality across the country.

Speaking about the state of digital connectivity, the minister said the government was actively working to enhance internet speed and remove technical bottlenecks that affect users. “We are making every possible effort to ensure there are as few internet-related problems as possible,” she said.

Fatima noted that no spectrum auction had taken place for several years, which had adversely affected the performance and expansion of telecom services. She announced that a long-delayed spectrum auction would be held next month, describing it as a key step towards strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure.

Highlighting the limitations of existing resources, the minister said the entire country was currently operating on just 274 megahertz of spectrum, reflecting the urgent need for additional capacity to meet growing data demands.

She said the government had resolved several internet-related issues in the past and was continuing work in this area, adding that progress in technology was essential for national development. “It is not possible to move forward without technology,” she remarked.

The IT minister also hinted at positive developments for the telecom sector, saying “good news” was on the way, without sharing further details.

Internet degradation

Since the past few days, internet users across Pakistan have been experiencing widespread slowdowns and connectivity problems due to a temporary fault in one of the country’s major upstream internet providers. The disruption has affected multiple cities, impacting online activities nationwide. In a statement shared on social media, internet service provider Nayatel said the slowdown was caused by an issue with one of its two upstream providers, which has affected overall internet traffic.

Nayatel said its technical teams are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with the upstream provider to restore services, though no timeline for full resolution has been given. Experts noted that upstream providers play a critical role in delivering data to local ISPs, and any disruption can trigger a ripple effect across the country. As a result, services such as online banking, video calls, social media and other digital platforms have been impacted.

The company has advised users to defer non-essential online activities and assured customers that efforts are under way to normalise services. The incident has once again highlighted vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s internet infrastructure, which depends heavily on a limited number of upstream providers.