Suspension of mobile broadband services inflicts Rs820m loss on telecom operators

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 & 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. “Internet is our lifeline, our office, our communications infrastructure and the IT industry cannot operate without it,” he added.

Khan maintained that IT & ITeS services were already under a lot of pressure on account of stagnation and experiencing probable decline in the exports of IT services due to the bad governmental policies and an utter lack of continuity in policies; and, now the political turmoil has completely stopped the IT industry’s operations.

P@SHA Chief has vociferously and categorically demanded the immediate resumption of internet services to the IT industry. He also maintained that internet service quality in the country hae already on a shrinking capacity; particularly, those of data services.

He explained that “no international buyer or importer will take this excuse that we need a few days leverage due to the unavailability of the internet – and, to be precise, credibility and goodwill achieved through timely delivery is everything in the IT export markets as once a client or order is gone, it is impossible to regain them.”

Most of the IT professionals are working from home today due to the precarious law and order situation in the entire country; and, may have to continue work from home for a few days to come in the backdrop of political uncertainty.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023