'Fish only eating cables in Pakistan': Bilawal Bhutto mocks government for slow internet | Watch

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) as the country is facing severe internet disruptions. Internet users in several cities of Pakistan experienced slow Internet speed resulting in restricted access to various online platforms and services, The Express Tribune reported.

The Pakistani politician in an interaction with the mediapersons wondered why fishes only cut Pakistan's undersea fiber optics cables, the video of which has since gone viral.

Why fishes of sea only eats cables of Pakistans internet- Bilawal Bhutto ZardariMachliyan sirf Pakistani internet ke cable kiyun khati hain@BBhuttoZardaripic.twitter.com/qBV2Ffrzzg

Dr Shama Junejo (@ShamaJunejo) December 28, 2024

Bilawal Bhutto while talking to mediapersons said,"Aap mujhe batayein Pakistan ke internet cables mein aisa kya hai ki jo humaare samundar ki machliyan woh sirf Pakistan ke internet cables khaate rehte hain?(Loosely Translated to English-->  You tell me what is there in Pakistan's internet cables that the fishes in our sea keep eating only Pakistan's internet cables?)

Users in Pakistan faced difficulties in browsing and uploading and downloading of media files like images, videos, and voice notes, according to a recent report, adding that people engaged in online business faced various challenges as they rely on stable internet connection for their work. The slow speed of the internet also affected users who depend on these platforms for communication, work and social engagement, according to The Express Tribune report.

Internet disruptions are not uncommon in Pakistan.However, the frequency of such outages has witnessed a rise in recent months. In November, internet and mobile services were temporarily disrupted in Islamabad during a political protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Furthermore, the Pakistan government has carried out multiple tests of its internet firewall this year, which has reduced speed of Internet and caused digital disruptions in the past.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has acknowledged that restricting internet access falls into a 'legal grey area' and urged the ministries of law and interior to provide clarification on its legality.

During a briefing to the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology on Wednesday, retired Maj-Gen Hafeezur Rehman stated that internet shutdowns have been occurring since 2016, and it is only recently that their legality has been questioned, Dawn reported.