Pakistani businesses say internet disruptions this month have harmed their businesses and unsettled investors at a time when the country is counting on the information technology sector to help break a cycle of economic crises and bailouts.
The warnings from executives, investors and a leading IT organisation come as internet watchdogs have reported a marked slowdown in connection speeds and service interruptions to applications such as WhatsApp, the Meta-owned messaging platform that is widely used in the country.
Nadeem Elahi, managing director for TRG, a venture capital firm that operates Pakistan’s biggest outsourcing services provider, said internet connectivity was “by far the worst it has been in the last 12 months”.