Tag: internet shutdown

  • Internet shutdown costs 65 billion rupees to Pakistan’s economy

    Internet shutdown costs 65 billion rupees to Pakistan’s economy

    Pakistan’s economy has suffered a loss of PKR 65 billion in 2023 due to internet shutdowns.

    Statista’s latest data reveals that 8.3 million Pakistanis were affected by the internet outage, which lasted 259 hours.

    Statista is a German online organization that specializes in data collection. It ranked Pakistan seventh in terms of losses in the last financial year.

    Last year, India was one of the top countries with the longest internet shutdowns in the world, with 47 crore users not having access to the internet. This resulted in India being ranked fourth for internet shutdowns.

    “In India – the country that cuts internet access the most – shutdowns have in the past clustered in Kashmir and Rajasthan, where they have been used during protests (and preemptively when protests were expected), but also during exams. In 2023, ethnic tensions in Manipur state led to most targeted shutdowns employed by the government”, states Statista’s official website.

    Internet service in India was highest in Occupied Kashmir and Rajasthan.

    The total list of 25 countries with the most internet shutdowns from top to bottom is Russia, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Iran, India, Iraq, Pakistan, Algeria, Senegal, Azerbaijan, Guinea, Brazil, Mauritania, Yemen, Venezuela, Kenya, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, Gabon, Tanzania, Cuba, Chad, Zimbabwe and Suriname at last in the list respectively.

    Regionally, after 2019, Asia experienced the most disruption cases of internet connections, over 50 percent compared to the rest of the world.

  • LHC summons PTA, federal govt and Information Ministry over internet disruption

    LHC summons PTA, federal govt and Information Ministry over internet disruption

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) has asked the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the Information Ministry, and federal government representatives to appear before the court on a petition pertaining to internet disturbance on the next hearing on August 21.

    Advocate Nadeem filed the petition stating that the internet shutdown should be declared unconstitutional and the government should ensure smooth internet.
    The petition stated that ‘’Internet shutdown is a violation of Constitution Article 9 (personal security), 18 (freedom of business), article 19 (freedom of speech).”

    “Apart from the general public, hundreds, if not thousands, of companies have also been affected. Ride-hailing companies like Bykea, Careem and InDrive have taken the brunt, as their users —drivers and passengers — need mobile data on the go,” the petition read.

  • What problems can you face after internet and mobile services are shut down?

    What problems can you face after internet and mobile services are shut down?

    As voters queued up to participate in the contentious elections in Pakistan, a significant disruption emerged: the suspension of mobile phone services across the country.

    While authorities defended the measure as a necessary step to maintain order, critics argued that it severely limited access to vital information during the crucial voting process.

    The decision to suspend mobile services has sparked concerns among citizens, particularly regarding their ability to locate their designated polling stations using the 8300 SMS service, a widely relied-upon method for voters to find their voting locations.

    They can also not use Google Maps to reach their desired location and ride-hailing applications are also not working.

    Furthermore, the suspension of mobile services has hindered the reporting and highlighting of irregularities in the elections.

    Without access to mobile networks, citizens are facing challenges in documenting and sharing any potential discrepancies or violations occurring at polling stations, raising questions about the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) wants people to use their toll-free numbers to lodge complaints directly with the ECP, but citizens cannot do so because their mobile networks are not working.

    Amidst the disruptions, some citizens have suggested utilizing Wi-Fi devices or cable internet with Wi-Fi routers, removing passwords, and renaming the devices to “free internet” to facilitate access for those nearby.

    If you can’t send or receive messages from 8300, send your CNIC number to Imran Khan’s Facebook page and you will get the details of your polling station.