Internet Services Slow, X and VPNs Remain Blocked Across Pakistan

Internet services are extremely slow across the country, with users complaining of degraded performance across multiple social media platforms. Furthermore, X’s (formerly Twitter) blackout reaches its sixth day despite the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) order to restore access to the platform, while VPN services are also being blocked across the country.

X Remains Blocked

Pakistan’s government blocked access to X (formerly Twitter) on February 17, 2024 (Saturday) after Rawalpindi’s Commissioner admitted to involvement in the rigging of election results. The block was placed without any proper notification or justification, a blatant disregard for the Pakistan Constitution.

The X block has entered its sixth day with no communication from the government regarding its restoration, despite the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) order to reinstate access to the platform. Furthermore, government officials are being extremely vague with media outlets regarding the restrictions.

VPN Services Blocked

The entire matter is exacerbated by the blocking of virtual private network (VPN) services across the country. Apart from blocking access to X, Pakistan’s government even started blocking access to major VPN services, which are having trouble connecting to any servers.

Slow Internet Services

The entire internet is extremely slow, with degraded performance across Pakistan, and the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has not addressed the issue. While internet service providers (ISPs) claim there is no issue with services, users continue to post their problems with slow connectivity on social media.

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