Pakistan ranked among the slowest globally for internet speeds

Pakistan is facing significant challenges in internet connectivity, ranking among the slowest globally for both mobile and broadband speeds, according to Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index.

According to a report by Express Tribune on Tuesday, as of October, Pakistan ranked 100th out of 111 countries for mobile speeds and 141st out of 158 countries for broadband speeds. Users have been experiencing slow connections, including difficulties in downloading media on platforms like WhatsApp and frequent connectivity issues.

This has raised concerns, particularly with ongoing internet access interruptions and the increasing restriction of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which many Pakistanis rely on to access blocked websites such as X (formerly Twitter). As per the World Population Review, the average download speed in Pakistan is 7.85 MBPS, with median mobile and broadband speeds at 19.59 MBPS and 15.52 MBPS, respectively.

Despite efforts by the government, including a planned upgrade to the “web management system” for cybersecurity, human rights organizations like Amnesty International have called for more transparency regarding the internet slowdown and the use of monitoring technologies.