This sudden silence

Almost every Pakistani knows about the sudden and essentially unannounced collapse of the internet in Pakistan. The country has at least 111 million internet users, which out of a population of 240 million makes it one of the countries with the highest Internet usage in the world. WhatsApp is an especially popular platform. The sudden disappearance of messages from this application and the inability in many cases to download attached material is affecting tens of thousands of people.

The impact of the sudden silence has not been investigated accurately enough. But it is quite acute. Freelancers are especially affected given that they can no longer send out work to companies overseas. Some companies offering work such as transcription to Pakistani freelancers have already pulled out, causing even more unemployment at a time when it is already at over six per cent because they cannot be sure of receiving documents and work on time and according to their strict schedules. This is in other words a disaster for many. We know that more and more Pakistanis have taken to freelance work given the shrinking space in the mainstream sector. Now this source of income is also disappearing.

Perhaps most disturbing is the fact that we have not been told why this is happening. Different versions have been provided by the PTA and the minister concerned for internet communication. Many suspect the truth is not being told. People have heard stories of sharks or other marine creatures biting off chunks of internet cabling. But this is hardly likely to lie anywhere near the truth since only Pakistan is experiencing this and no other countries in the region.

The IT minister’s ‘confession’ that a firewall was indeed being built has not satisfied many people that this is the full story. Indeed, major companies have in some cases already shifted their work to these nations, what with the black hole that exists in Pakistan as far as quick and reliable communication goes. Even larger companies that must send out dossiers on a daily basis to their bosses overseas are badly affected and wondering what to do.

In some cases, VPNs help solve the problem at least for some hours. But many users find that they have to change the VPN they use regularly to keep it running. This adds to the difficulties they suddenly confront. The problem stretches across Pakistan and has come within weeks. It is different from the crackdowns we have seen in the past on YouTube, Twitter, and other applications. This is far bigger and therefore far more problematic.

Persons and organizations monitoring the internet and the use of communication technology point out that Pakistan seems to have been shoved back a few decades. In this age, where the world moves at a startlingly rapid rate, the situation does not encourage the growth of business or other work. For Pakistanis who are accustomed to carrying out much of their work over apps such as WhatsApp, it is a disaster. Local companies use this application and others like it widely and the difficulties their workers as well as the employers of these persons now face are quite massive. The media too is affected in many different ways.

We hear vague rumours that some kind of firewall is being set up. This, as is the case in autocratic setups, would enable internet posts to be more easily tracked and their origin located. But for the moment, we do not know if the firewall rumours are correct or if the problem lies elsewhere. Whoever is involved needs to at least inform citizens who are being affected and who have a right to know. The blockade or slowing of the internet has occurred suddenly and without information that can be considered reliable. Everywhere, people in all age brackets continue to try and seek out messages and documents on their smartphones or other devices. In many cases, they fail. Internet companies confirm the problem exists, but deny insinuations that they are at fault. The PTA needs to step forward and explain the situation and how long it will likely last. They also need to tell us what will happen if a firewall is indeed ‘constructed’ and put in place countrywide.

If we link the issue to other events, it does seem likely that such a plan is in progress. The impact on business has already been commented upon by many of the larger companies in some chambers. But we also know that smaller setups are being affected, with people losing work or the ability to receive payments as a result of whatever is taking place.

The mystery needs to be solved and the problem unraveled as quickly as possible. In this day and age, the lack of internet affects students, computer workers, freelancers, companies, and almost everyone else. In Pakistan, the lack of ability to reach specific applications of course amounts to virtual disaster for many. At the very least, we all need to be told what is happening and how long it will last. VPNs cannot be used to solve the problem indefinitely.

There is no point in continuing the silence. Instead, it should be broken by letting people know the truth, whether it lies with technical problems, security concerns, or other factors. After all, in today’s age internet communications are an essential need of life and not a luxury that only some use. The number of users is growing by the day and this needs to continue if Pakistanis are to find work and an income in times which rank as some of the most difficult the country has faced.

The writer is a freelance columnist and former newspaper editor. She can be reached at: kamilahyat@hotmail.com