Internet disruption, power outages take heavy toll on IT firms and freelancers

Despite Pakistan having one of the top five freelancers’ communities in the world, the abysmal state of the country’s internet has taken a toll on not just their productivity but also the workflow of IT companies, experts told Business Recorder.

Reportedly, sluggish internet services are a result of increasing monitoring and surveillance efforts by the government coupled with torrential rains and massive power outages, which have affected a significant part of the telecommunication system.

Pakistan Freelancers Association (PAFLA) Chairman Ibrahim Amin said freelancers have been hit not only in small cities, but in major cities like Karachi on account of poor internet services, causing a big loss of earnings and new projects from foreign clients.

Sometimes freelancers are unable to work for 10 to 15 hours because of prolonged power breakdowns and suspended internet services in areas that witnessed rains and urban flooding.

Meanwhile IT exporter and Hexalyze CEO Saad Khan said IT companies often hire remote workers and freelance consultants, which means their overall operations and business cycles get disrupted when there is no power or internet.

He pointed out that slow internet disturbs not only operations of IT companies and their foreign clients but also all those sectors that have shifted their systems on automated and digital modes.

IT companies and freelancers contributed over $3.8 billion to foreign exchange in the last financial year despite these challenges. These inflows are expected to cross $4 billion or at least touch this mark.

Vulnerable cybersecurity

SI Global Solutions CEO Dr Noman Said stated frequent internet disruption and slow connectivity also hurt cybersecurity and automated surveillance systems.

He suggested that alternative strategies including dedicated internet facilities should be provided to IT and export-oriented companies through effective whitelisting of IPs (Internet Protocols) and satellite internet services.

The government rolls out policy and sets targets for IT exports, but it does not take these challenges into consideration, resulting in the sector failing to meet its benchmarks, he remarked.

There are over 20,000 IT companies registered with Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and over 2.37 million freelancers working in Pakistan.