On January 20, Pakistani internet users, already grappling with recent disruptions, faced another grim day. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) provided technical justifications, attributing the blackout to ongoing system upgrades. However, the announced timeline of “2 to 3 months” only intensified public concerns.
Director General Ahmed Shamim Pirzada, accompanied by Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi and FIA Cybercrime Director of Operations Waqaruddin Syed, addressed a press conference laden with skepticism. The outage’s timing, aligning with a scheduled online event by a specific political party, fueled suspicions of intentional throttling. Similar disruptions on December 17 and January 7 added weight to these concerns.
Minister Solangi maintained the technical glitch explanation while acknowledging the potential for further issues. However, this lukewarm reassurance did little to alleviate public apprehension, especially given the suspiciously timed blackouts. The PTA’s subsequent statement citing a “technical fault” after the January 20th disruption only heightened public skepticism.
Pakistan’s tech-savvy population expressed tangible outrage over the perceived lack of transparency and the protracted resolution timeframe.
