Pakistan blames mystery Internet slowdown on underwater cables

Pakistan blames mystery Internet slowdown on underwater cables
People work near the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) headquarters building in Islamabad on August 16, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 29 August 2024
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Pakistan blames mystery Internet slowdown on underwater cables

Pakistan blames mystery Internet slowdown on underwater cables
  • Government previously blamed a surge in VPN use for the slowdown whilst also admitting that the country was ‘undergoing a transition’
  • Digital rights experts believe the state is testing a firewall that monitors network traffic but can also be used to control online spaces

KARACHI: Pakistan authorities blamed a mystery months-long Internet slowdown that has drawn backlash from activists and business leaders on damaged underwater cables.
Digital rights experts believe the state is testing a firewall — a security system that monitors network traffic but can also be used to control online spaces.
The government has previously blamed a surge in VPN use for the slowdown whilst also admitting that the country was “undergoing a transition.”
“The ongoing Internet slowdown across the country is mainly due to (a) fault in two of the seven international submarine cables connecting Pakistan internationally,” Pakistan’s Telecommunications Authority said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that the fault would be repaired by early October.
Internet networks have been up to 40 percent slower than normal since July, according to one IT association, while WhatsApp and VPN connections are severely disrupted.
The government and PTA for weeks refused to comment on the slowdown.
At the start of the month, defense minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said the country was “undergoing a transition.”
He added that “there will be some controls to prevent threatening and defamatory content against the state and individuals.”
IT minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja later denied that the government was behind the Internet slowdown, blaming it on a surge in VPN use.
It comes as Pakistan’s military — the country’s most powerful institution — says it is battling so-called “digital terrorism.”
Analysts say the main target of the digital disruption is the party of jailed opposition leader Imran Khan, still wildly popular and boosted by a young, tech-savvy voter base.
Global rights watchdog Amnesty International urged Pakistan authorities to be transparent.
“The opacity of the Pakistani authorities regarding the use of monitoring and surveillance technologies that block content, slow down and control Internet speeds is an alarming concern,” said the organization’s technology expert Jurre Van Bergen.
Pakistan is banking on its nascent but growing Information Technology industry to increase its exports and generate critical foreign exchange revenue for a cash-strapped country.
“Without immediate and decisive action, the country risks deeper economic fallout and a prolonged digital divide,” Shahzad Arshad, the chairman of the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan, said in a statement.


Pakistan reports two news cases of polio, taking 2024 tally to 28

Pakistan reports two news cases of polio, taking 2024 tally to 28
Updated 22 sec ago
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Pakistan reports two news cases of polio, taking 2024 tally to 28

Pakistan reports two news cases of polio, taking 2024 tally to 28
  • New cases reported in Zhob district in Balochistan province and Tank district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 
  • Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains last polio-endemic country in the world

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s polio program said on Wednesday two new cases of the poliovirus had been detected in the Zhob district of Balochistan and Tank district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), taking the number of total cases in 2024 to 28. 

Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world. Starting from late 2018, Pakistan saw a resurgence of cases and increased spread of polio, highlighting the fragility of gains achieved in the preceding three years.

“Two more children have been paralyzed by wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in Pakistan, underscoring the expanding public health threat of polio and the urgency for all parents and caregivers to ensure vaccination for their children,” the national polio program said in a statement. 

According to the Regional Reference Laboratory at the National Institute of Health, a female child from Zhob district and a male child from Tank district had been affected. This is the second case from Zhob, where a child was affected by polio earlier in July, and the first case from Tank. 

“The virus has been found in sewage samples from both districts previously, indicating continued polio transmission and risk to children’s health,” the statement added. 

The Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication, Ayesha Raza Farooq, appealed to parents, caregivers and families across Pakistan to get their children vaccinated immediately to protect them from the paralyzing effects of a poliovirus infection.

“The government brings the polio vaccine directly to your doorsteps multiple times a year,” she said. 

“Every knock on your door by the polio workers brings hope for a healthier future for your children. Please cooperate with them and bring your children forward for vaccination.”

Farooq said the next nationwide polio campaign would begin from Oct. 28.

Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Center for Polio Eradication, Muhammad Anwarul Haq, said consistent polio campaign implementation in Balochistan and southern KP had been challenging for the program since last year due to factors such as lack of access to vulnerable children, security issues, vaccine hesitancy and community boycotts. 

“Access challenges leave a cohort of unvaccinated children who have low immunity to fight off a polio infection,” he said. 

“The Polio Program is working closely with both provincial governments to increase vaccination coverage rates, build trust in communities and provide integrated health service delivery for better health outcomes.”

Pakistan’s polio eradication program began in 1994 and the number of cases has declined dramatically since then but the country continues to face challenges in its fight against polio, including militancy, with polio workers targeted by attacks, particularly in the KP province.

The polio program has adapted to respond to climate disasters such as floods but continues to face disruptions. There are also gaps in supplementary immunization activities, especially in areas where the virus is still present.


ICC Women’s T20 World Cup begins in UAE today as Pakistan face Sri Lanka

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup begins in UAE today as Pakistan face Sri Lanka
Updated 10 min 42 sec ago
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ICC Women’s T20 World Cup begins in UAE today as Pakistan face Sri Lanka

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup begins in UAE today as Pakistan face Sri Lanka
  • Pakistan to feature against arch-rivals India at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Oct. 6 
  • Semi-finals set to take place on Oct. 17 and 18 while winner of series to be decided on Oct 20

ISLAMABAD: The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will begin today, Thursday, in the UAE with the Pakistan women’s team under the leadership of Fatima Sana taking on Sri Lanka in their opening match at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Ten teams are featured in the 18-day tournament, with the Pakistan women’s team slotted in Group ‘A’ alongside Australia, India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh, England, Scotland, South Africa and the West Indies are in Group ‘B’.

“We have prepared well for the mega event,” Captain Fatima Sana said in a statement released by the Pakistan Cricket Board. “The series against South Africa at home before coming to the UAE helped us know our strengths and allowed our batters to show their form.

“The two practice games have also helped us in assessing the conditions here and now has provided us with clarity regarding the right combination of players in the tournament.” 

The PCB said Pakistan would feature against arch-rivals India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium (DICS) on Oct. 6 and then be in action against defending champions Australia on Oct. 11 at the same venue. Their last group match will be against New Zealand on Oct. 14.

As per the format of the tournament, the top two sides from each group will qualify for the semifinals set to take place on Oct. 17 and 18 while the winner of the tournament will be decided on Oct 20. 

Pakistan have featured in two warm-up games against Scotland and Bangladesh prior to the start of the tournament and also took part in various practice sessions to acclimatize to the conditions.

15-member squad for the tournament:

Fatima Sana (captain), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali (wicket-keeper), Nashra Sundhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab and Tuba Hassan

Traveling reserve: Najiha Alvi (wicket-keeper)

Non-traveling reserves: Rameen Shamim and Umm-e-Hani


Expat rewarded in UAE for flawless driving record urges Pakistanis to follow the rules

Expat rewarded in UAE for flawless driving record urges Pakistanis to follow the rules
Updated 35 min 46 sec ago
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Expat rewarded in UAE for flawless driving record urges Pakistanis to follow the rules

Expat rewarded in UAE for flawless driving record urges Pakistanis to follow the rules
  • In widely reported development, Dubai Police last month commended Muhammad Siddique Baksh, 84, for record of zero driving violations in 55 years
  • Baksh’s recognition comes after widely reported comments by a Pakistani official in July that 50 percent of UAE’s crime rate was attributable to Pakistanis

ISLAMABAD: Expat Muhammad Siddique Baksh, recently recognized by Dubai Police for having a “flawless” record without a single driving violation in 55 years, urged other Pakistanis this week to follow local laws, saying it had been the key to opening the “doors of bright opportunities” for him in almost six decades of living in the UAE. 

The commendation for Baksh comes on the heels of widespread reports of a declining trend in overseas employment for Pakistanis due to their alleged lack of respect for local laws and customs. During a widely reported briefing of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis in July, Dr. Arshad Mahmood, secretary of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, said 50 percent of the crime rate in the UAE was reportedly attributed to Pakistanis.

Of more than 10 million overseas Pakistanis, over 50 percent live in Gulf countries, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE having been the top destinations for Pakistani laborers for decades. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are also the first and second largest sources of remittances to Pakistan respectively.

“During my 56 years in the UAE, I was never involved in any accidents, never faced a traffic violation ticket or other legal issues,” Baksh, 84, told Arab News in a phone interview this week, saying as a reward for his unblemished record, Dubai Police had renewed his driving license for five years despite him being 84 years old. 

Pakistan’s consulate general in the UAE had also presented an appreciation certificate to him for “making the Pakistani community proud.”

In all his years of living and working in the UAE, Baksh said he had guided many Pakistani expatriates there, always advising them to obey the laws of the land.

“I constantly told them that being a law-abiding citizen earns you respect and opens doors to bright opportunities in the UAE,” he said. “Wherever you go in the world, if you follow the law, the law will respect you.”

Baksh said UAE authorities had forwarded his case as an “exemplary law-abiding citizen” to Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
 
“I don’t know when it will happen, but it will be a great honor to meet such a visionary leader,” Baksh said. 

The expat arrived in the UAE by sea in 1968, three years before the Emirates was born in 1971 when six emirates, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Umm Al Quwain, Sharjah, Fujairah and Ajman, agreed to be a part of a single federation. Ras al Khaimah was the last to join in 1972. 

Baksh started out as a motor mechanic at the Al Nasser Engineering company in Dubai and was later promoted to foreman. He then completed a certification in engineering and worked as a marine engineer at Port Rashid.

After retiring, he ran a business in Jebel Ali for 16 years offering re-cushioning services and supplying parts for vehicles. The father of five sons and a daughter also paints as a hobby. 

“I have witnessed the whole development of the UAE from a long desert to a state-of-the-art modern country,” he said, “which was made possible by the visionary leadership and unwavering respect for the rule of law.”


Malaysian PM arrives in Pakistan to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties

Malaysian PM arrives in Pakistan to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties
Updated 03 October 2024
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Malaysian PM arrives in Pakistan to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties

Malaysian PM arrives in Pakistan to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties
  • Malaysian PM arrives in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad on three-day visit with high-level delegation
  • Anwar Ibrahim will also participate in Pakistan-Malaysia Business to foster trade, investment ties

ISLAMABAD: Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived in Islamabad on a three-day visit to the country on Wednesday, PM Shehbaz Sharif’s office said, with his visit aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries in trade, investment and other sectors. 

Pakistan and Malaysia enjoy a strong bilateral relationship, rooted in shared Islamic values and historical ties. Since 1957, they’ve fostered economic cooperation, defense collaborations, and cultural exchange. 

The Pakistan-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement of 2008 boosted trade and investment, while regular high-level visits have solidified their partnership, underpinned by mutual respect and trust. Ibrahim is being accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising Malaysian ministers, deputy ministers and senior officials.

Sharif welcomed his Malaysian counterpart and the high-level delegation upon their arrival in the capital, with senior Pakistani government officials by his side. 

“Pakistan-Malaysia bilateral cooperation will be discussed during the visit and important progress related to the partnership between the two countries will be made,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. 

“The prime minister of Malaysia will also participate in the Pakistan-Malaysia Business Forum for cooperation in trade and investment between the two countries,” it added. 

Sharif’s office said Ibrahim will also meet Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari during his visit. 

Pakistan’s foreign office said earlier this week that the two sides will discuss a wide-ranging agenda to further strengthen Pakistan-Malaysia ties. These diverse fields include trade, connectivity, energy, agriculture, halal industry, tourism, cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts.

Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Malaysia was recorded at $1.5 billion in 2023-24. The major exports of Pakistan to Malaysia include rice, condensate oil, onions, potatoes, home textiles, corn, seafood, and meat, palm oil and its products, petroleum, LNG, computers and laptops, nonwoven wadding, and fiberboard, according to the High Commission of Pakistan in Malaysia.

Tourism between both countries has gained momentum over the past few years and Malaysia currently ranks among the top tourist source countries to Pakistan, the foreign office said. 

Around 160,000 Pakistani nationals are residing in Malaysia and over 3,800 students from Pakistan are also enrolled in Malaysian higher education institutes, making the country the third largest source of international students in Malaysia.

Pakistan is also one of the major workforce source countries for Malaysia in various key sectors including plantation, construction, manufacturing, agriculture and services, the foreign office said. 


Pakistan expresses ‘deep concern’ over Middle East tensions after Iran’s missile attack on Israel

Pakistan expresses ‘deep concern’ over Middle East tensions after Iran’s missile attack on Israel
Updated 02 October 2024
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Pakistan expresses ‘deep concern’ over Middle East tensions after Iran’s missile attack on Israel

Pakistan expresses ‘deep concern’ over Middle East tensions after Iran’s missile attack on Israel
  • Pakistan’s foreign office calls for de-escalation, urges all parties to “prioritize peace“
  • Iran launched missiles into Israel on Tuesday for its military campaigns in Lebanon, Gaza

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson expressed “deep concern” over escalating tensions in the Middle East and urged all parties in the region to prioritize peace, a day after Iran launched scores of missiles into Israel. 

Sirens sounded across Israel and explosions rattled Jerusalem late Tuesday as Iran marked its largest military blow to the Jewish state when it launched scores of missiles into its territory. Tehran said its assault was a response to Israeli killings of militant leaders and aggression in Lebanon against Hezbollah and in Gaza.
No injuries were reported in Israel, but one man was killed in the occupied West Bank, authorities there said, in the attacks that Iran described as defensive and solely aimed at Israeli military facilities.
The United Nations Security Council scheduled a meeting about the Middle East for today, Wednesday, and the European Union called for an immediate ceasefire as Washington said it would work with Israel to ensure Iran faced “severe consequences” for the attack. 
“Pakistan expresses deep concern over the escalating hostilities in the Middle East, urging all parties to prioritize peace,” the foreign office spokesperson said in a statement. 
The foreign office said Israel has increasingly violated international law and the UN charter in recent months, blaming the Jewish state for endangering regional peace and security with its “ongoing genocide in Gaza.”
It said Israel’s recent invasion of Lebanon have intensified these tensions and affected the lives of innocent civilians.
“The people of Palestine, Lebanon, and the wider region deserve to live free from fear and violence,” the statement said. “It is crucial for all sides to step back from the brink and for the international community to take swift action to de-escalate the situation.”
The foreign office spokesperson called on the international community to address the “prevailing culture of impunity and disregard for international law” urgently.
 “Pakistan reiterates its call for the UN Security Council to uphold peace and security in the region, safeguard Lebanon’s sovereignty, and put an end to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” the statement said. 

Pakistan’s national airline announced earlier on Wednesday it was suspending the use of Iran’s airspace until further notice amid growing tensions. 

Pakistan does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza since October last year, Pakistan has repeatedly raised the issue at the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other multilateral platforms and demanded international powers and bodies stop Israeli military actions in Gaza.