Pakistan 'gaslighting' citizens over sudden internet slowdown

Government accused of 'throttling the internet' and spooking businesses with China-style firewall, but minister blames widespread use of VPNs

Photo collage of Imran Khan, the map of Pakistan, ethernet cables and other tech imagery
Activists have long criticised Pakistan's attempted control of the digital sphere
(Image credit: Illustration by Julia Wytrazek / Getty Images)

The government of Pakistan is "throttling the internet" with a China-style firewall to "crush dissent" – and "gaslighting" citizens about it, activists and business leaders claim. 

Internet connectivity has been up to 40% slower than normal since July, according to one IT expert quoted on the Karachi-based online newspaper Dawn, disrupting businesses and affecting millions. For weeks the government "refused to comment". Pakistan's all-powerful military said it was battling so-called "digital terrorism". 

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Harriet Marsden is a writer for The Week, mostly covering UK and global news and politics. Before joining the site, she was a freelance journalist for seven years, specialising in social affairs, gender equality and culture. She worked for The Guardian, The Times and The Independent, and regularly contributed articles to The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The New Statesman, Tortoise Media and Metro, as well as appearing on BBC Radio London, Times Radio and “Woman’s Hour”. She has a master’s in international journalism from City University, London, and was awarded the "journalist-at-large" fellowship by the Local Trust charity in 2021.