Suspension of mobile broadband has devastating effect on economy

ISLAMABAD: The suspension of mobile broadband services has resulted in a devastating effect on the economy as telecom operators have incurred an estimated revenue loss of Rs820 million, while the government has lost around Rs287 million in tax revenue, well-placed sources told Business Recorder.

Industry sources confirmed that the suspension of mobile broadband services has had a devastating effect on the economy, resulting in substantial losses for telecom operators, the government, and the people of Pakistan.

Additionally, individuals who depend on digital apps such as Careem, InDrive, FoodPanda, and others have suffered a significant loss in earnings, while digital payments have come to a standstill.

The suspension has caused widespread inconvenience and hardship to the masses mandating immediate attention of the concerned authorities to resume data services, sources added. Most of the social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter remained partially or fully suspended on the second day.

In a tweet CEO Jazz Aamir Ibrahim said that shutting down the internet is not a solution to anything. It creates more problems than it solves. “For almost 24 hours, 125 million Pakistanis have been without mobile internet – a critical tool in emergencies and productivity,” he said. Aamir stressed that the devastating effect on the economy is quantifiable but the inconvenience to people is incalculable.

In a strong critique, Muhammad Zohaib Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), has lambasted the mindless, consultation-less and blanket blockage of internet services in the country due to the emergent political situation – as the IT industry has come to a standstill since Tuesday evening.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023