In what way does the defence of a nationwide internet outage by top government officials, citing “system installation issues,” vary from the scenario in which a student arrives at class without completing their assignment and claims that “the dog ate it”?
Of course, both scenarios are possible: a particularly ravenous dog might nibble on a child’s schoolwork, and “system installation” can result in an unplanned outage just in time for an informally authorised political party to host an online event.
But in day-to-day living, we tend to take these kinds of explanations with a fair dose of scepticism. Thus, it is hoped that DG PTA Ahmed Shamim Pirzada, FIA Cybercrime Director Ops Waqaruddin Syed, and Information Minister Murtaza Solangi will find it in themselves to pardon those who have been questioning their sincerity without delay.
For background, the three gentlemen had addressed the media on Monday, stating that the latest nationwide internet outage, which occurred this past Saturday evening, was entirely related to the PTA’s “software being upgraded” and had nothing to do with the online jalsa that the PTI had organised at the same time. Putting aside the argument over the cause of the outages, denying access to internet services to the general public is a violation of their fundamental rights and will probably be upheld in court. The 2018 decision of the Islamabad High Court on the suspension of mobile phone services sets a pertinent precedent. There is also the impact on the digital economy: each disruption causes billions in losses to businesses and individuals who rely on internet connectivity for their work. Given the severity of these consequences, it is strange that the PTA did not wish to appear more proactive about tackling the problem. No wonder doubts remain about its true intent
