Reason behind social media slowdown in Pakistan explained

The trial run of a new firewall had slowed down social media in Pakistan, authorities familiar with the development revealed.


This has raised concerns about the future of the country’s internet-based industries. However, officials promised us that after the trial was completed, internet traffic will return to normal.

The government has set out approximately Rs30 billion from the development budget for the purchase and installation of this filtering system.

The allocation was given to the Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT), but project execution is managed by another entity, restricting MoIT’s function to that of an intermediary.


An official said that work on the firewall has been ongoing since January, including the procurement and installation of the system, which is currently being commissioned. The commissioning phase is likely to last several weeks. When asked if the national filter would affect internet-based enterprises, the official said it could pose a subtle threat but that these businesses are not the primary aim.

Another official claimed that the major goal is to limit the impact of social media influencers who are seen by the government to be promoting false information. The idea is to diminish their impact by restricting or reducing the visibility of their content. Influencers are already being targeted under the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act 2016, which established dedicated courts to handle relevant offenses.