Pakistan has become the second-largest country in the world for the duration of internet shutdowns. According to data collected from the top 10 VPN services globally, Pakistan lags just 1,861 hours behind Myanmar in terms of internet outage duration in 2024.
The shutdowns have resulted in a loss of approximately $351 million, with Pakistan ranking second in South Asia for the financial impact. These shutdowns have also revealed a significant issue in Pakistan’s digital economy.
There has been a notable increase in internet shutdowns in Pakistan, with the duration rising from 259 hours in 2023 to a staggering 619% increase in 2024. This has pushed Pakistan from 7th to 2nd place globally, with an additional loss of $114 million due to internet disruptions.
Business organizations, including the Software Houses Association of Pakistan, have reported that every hour of internet shutdown results in a loss of $1 million for the country. The information and communications sector, which has emerged as a strong source of dollar revenue for Pakistan, has been severely disrupted. In 2024, the IT sector contributed $3.3 billion to the national economy, ranking as the third-largest sector after textiles and food.
However, the internet shutdowns have increased operational costs for local tech companies, making it difficult for them to generate foreign exchange, despite the fact that such exports are not officially recorded. The government has shown little attention to this matter.
Moreover, the quality of internet in Pakistan remains poor, with the average download speed being just 22 Mbps, compared to neighboring countries such as the Philippines (97 Mbps), Bangladesh (37 Mbps), and Indonesia (31 Mbps).
The internet shutdowns have had a devastating impact on the confidence of young, talented Pakistanis, further discouraging them. In recent years, the value of their hard-earned money has halved, while expenses have increased. While not everyone in Pakistan enjoys equal rights, at least access to the internet was once considered a fundamental resource—now, even this basic need is being restricted.
