Pakistan Confirms Internet Firewall for Cybersecurity Purposes

The government at last accepted what others suspected of months, a national firewall is being implemented to monitor and regulate internet traffic. Initially denying it the authorities now approve that the firewall might be the cause of Pakistan’s slow internet, particularly on sites such as WhatsApp and Facebook.

Responding to a question asked in the National Assembly, IT Minister Shaza Khawaja confirmed the action as intending to safeguard Pakistan’s cyberspace in the fourth industrial revolution era. She described it as a cybersecurity effort to prevent objectionable content according to local laws and claimed it aligns with previous policies and Article 19 of the Constitution.

But the insiders in the industry are labeling it what it is: a surveillance firewall with real time content monitoring, something more sophisticated than anything that’s ever been employed. And it’s causing noticeable slowdowns. Call centers, normal users, and ISPs themselves are being affected without receiving the formal notice.

While the minister accuses VPNs of causing network problems, accounts indicate the issue is deeper including deep packet inspection, traffic diversion, and aged infrastructure. Thus, while security may be the intention critics contend privacy is the one ultimately paying the price.