Over 80% of Pakistan's internet users faced slowdowns in August: Gallup Survey

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 14 September 2024

A recent Gallup survey indicates that more than 80% of internet users in Pakistan experienced service slowdowns during August. This disruption adversely affected freelancers and the broader economy.

Summary

ISLAMABAD—More than 80% of internet users in Pakistan faced slowdowns during August, according to a Gallup survey.

The survey, conducted with a diverse and representative sample of the Pakistani population, reveals usage statistics across different demographics and highlights the challenges faced by users—especially freelancers—due to disruptions in internet services in the country.

The survey was carried out among a sample of 650 men and women in urban and rural areas of four provinces of the country, conducted from 19 August–1st September 2024. This study focused on the internet slowdown experienced during the first half of August, which the trade body and registered association for the IT industry P@SHA claimed could cost the economy around $300 million.

Respondents (82) reported experiencing service slowdowns during August. Of them, 84% were urban residents and 80% rural residents.

Amongst freelancers, the biggest proportion were those who were working to sell their products online or worked for Amazon (47%), according to the survey. “5% were freelancing on related websites such as Fiverr, 10% were teaching, 10% were involved in web designing, 9% were contributing to IT marketing, 5% were earning from gaming, 2% from essay writing, and 2% from graphic design.”

However, it added that only 1% of the internet users in Pakistan are providing freelancing services abroad. “1% of these freelancers belong to the income bracket of Rs 90,001 to 200,000.” The online platforms that freelancers are registered with included Fiverr (41%), Upwork (20%), LinkedIn (7%), Rozee.pk (3%), as well as other platforms (52%), while 4% had no response.

KEY POINTS:

• Over 80% of Pakistan's internet users faced slowdowns in August.
• The survey included a diverse sample of 650 participants from various demographics.
• Freelancers, particularly those selling online, reported significant challenges.
• The economic cost of internet slowdowns is estimated at $300 million.
• Urban residents experienced higher slowdowns compared to rural residents.