Dawn warns of severe consequences of slow internet

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published last year |  JP Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Daily Dawn on Saturday rapped the government over slow internet, fearing it would imperil the future of thousands of gig workers from Pakistan, and may trigger a protest movement against the state.

In an editorial, Lasting Damage, the paper said what started as a desperate attempt to choke public criticism of state institutions is now threatening to shake the very foundations of Pakistan's budding digital economy.

"As industry leaders sounded the alarm, warning that IT businesses were considering relocating, the government finally acknowledged that it has been updating its 'web management system', its euphemism for a firewall meant to monitor Pakistanis' online activities."

The paper said Fiverr, which is popular with Pakistani workers offering their services in the global digital economy, said that it felt compelled to warn its clients that Pakistani freelancers' ability to complete projects on time may be affected by the internet disruptions they are facing.

Dawn termed this a major crisis. It added Pakistan is one of the biggest suppliers of labor to the global online workforce; the third largest, in fact, according to the University of Oxford's Online Labor Index. "In a country where decent employment is difficult to come by, many young men and women have been selling their skills to foreign clients through the internet, netting a solid income for themselves and much-needed foreign exchange for the country."

The paper feared that if Pakistan continues to be seen as an unreliable partner in the global digital economy, it risks losing a significant source of foreign exchange and stifling the growth of its IT sector.

"The state should not allow itself to be so blinded by its desperation that it ends up setting the whole forest on fire just to smoke out a few mischief-makers. Such short-sighted policies may only push even more youth towards agitation against the state."