ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said on Wednesday it was working to provide seamless online connectivity to strengthen the information technology sector and enhance ease of doing business amid public uproar over slow Internet speed affecting nearly 2.37 million freelancers in the country.

The government has identified information technology as a priority sector for attracting foreign investment and boosting export revenue. However, Internet speed in Pakistan has dropped by 30-40 percent over the past few weeks, according to the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan amid reports that the government is installing a national firewall to block “anti-state propaganda.”

The situation has raised concerns within the IT sector, especially among the freelance community, leading its national association members to visit the PTA Headquarters on Wednesday to discuss the issue with the authority’s top official.

“Chairman PTA, Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman, extended a warm welcome to the Pakistan Freelancers Association’s delegation and apprised that PTA is proactively working on ease of doing business for IT sector,” said an official statement circulated after the meeting.

“In this regard IP [Internet protocol] addresses for VPNs [virtual private networks] are being registered for software houses, banks, businesses and freelancers to ensure that in case of any access disruption in the country, businesses are not affected,” it added.

The statement noted that VPN registration was free and could be completed online, with a processing time of two to three days.

The government announced the VPN registration process toward the end of last month amid complaints of prolonged Internet disruptions.

According to data from the central bank, Pakistani freelancers earned $397.3 million in foreign remittances during the fiscal year 2021-22.

The amount is likely underreported, as much of the freelance income is received as home remittances.