What Happened: Pakistan’s IT minister confirmed an upgrade to the web management system amid ongoing internet disruptions, raising concerns about economic and business impacts.
What you need to know: After months of speculation about internet disruptions, Pakistan’s IT minister, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, confirmed that the government is upgrading its “web management system” to address cybersecurity threats.
What more: This marks the first official acknowledgment of the government’s involvement in internet issues, which have caused slow speeds, social media platform blocks, and WhatsApp connectivity problems. Previously, officials blamed telecom providers or denied knowledge of the disruptions. On Thursday, users continued to face problems accessing platforms like WhatsApp and YouTube.
Also: The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) warned that the internet issues could cost the economy up to $300 million.