Pakistan has been ranked among the lowest countries globally for internet speeds in October 2024, according to the Ookla Speedtest Global Index.
The report places the country 100th out of 111 nations in mobile internet speeds, with download speeds of 20.61 Mbps and upload speeds of 8.53 Mbps.
For broadband internet, Pakistan ranks 141st out of 158 countries, with download and upload speeds of 15.60 Mbps and 15.53 Mbps, respectively.
Users across major cities report persistent internet disruptions and sluggish speeds, hindering basic online activities such as browsing and sharing media.
Popular platforms like WhatsApp have become nearly unusable for sending or receiving images, videos, and voice notes due to the slowdown.
The slow speeds come amid ongoing upgrades to Pakistan's "web management system," which includes tests on an internet firewall conducted in July and August.
These tests reportedly caused widespread disruptions, although no specific reasons have been identified for the latest internet issues.
Internet disruptions are a recurring problem in Pakistan, with sporadic outages impacting the digital landscape for months.
Experts warn that the poor state of internet services is costing Pakistan’s economy billions of rupees daily, further exacerbating the challenges of a digitally connected world.
The digital divide continues to widen, leaving users frustrated and the country lagging in global connectivity rankings.
