Pakistanis brace for 2-3 months of potential internet instability as officials scramble to upgrade critical telecommunications systems. Director General of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Ahmed Shamim Pirzada, assured the public Monday that recent internet outages are solely due to technical glitches and not aimed at curbing online activity.
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This explanation followed widespread frustration after social media platforms, including Facebook and YouTube, went dark thrice in just over a month – during pre-announced events of a political party. While acknowledging the coincidence, Pirzada firmly denied any political motives behind the disruptions.
Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi echoed these sentiments, attributing the outages to the complex process of system upgrades. Both officials acknowledged the inconvenience and admitted uncertainty about future glitches.
“The system is being upgraded, and such disruptions are possible during this phase,” explained Pirzada. While stressing technical reasons, he acknowledged the inconvenience and offered no guarantee of immediate stability.
The December 17, January 7, and January 20 outages have fueled speculation and frustration among the public. Some remain skeptical of the official explanation, pointing to the timing and lack of transparency around the upgrades.
The PTA’s assurance and ongoing upgrades aim to quell these concerns and ensure uninterrupted internet access in the long run. However, with continued uncertainty and potential disruptions over the next few months, Pakistanis may have to adjust to a temporary digital disconnect.
