Internet disruptions could cost Pakistan $300m

August 16, 2024 (MLN): Pakistan’s economy could incur financial losses up to $300 million due to internet disruptions caused by imposition of a national firewall, the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) said in a press release on Thursday.

The booming IT industry is facing a disaster, grappling with unprecedented operational disruptions that threaten the very foundation of Pakistan’s burgeoning tech sector, it said in a statement.

The imposition of the firewall has triggered a perfect storm of challenges, with prolonged internet disconnections and erratic VPN performance threatening a "complete meltdown of business operations."

The association said these disruptions are not mere inconveniences but a direct and aggressive assault on the industry’s viability, inflicting devastating financial losses estimated to reach at $300m, which can further increase exponentially.

“If you tighten your grip on the IT sector, remember this is going to be the bottleneck of this nation’s economy!” stated Muhammad Aamir, CEO of AXCEL, an IT Company.

The government’s inexplicable opacity and ambiguity surrounding the firewall’s design and objectives have ignited a firestorm of distrust among global clients, who fear their proprietary data and privacy will be compromised.

P@SHA demanded an “immediate and unconditional halt to this digital siege."

The association said the government must engage in genuine dialogue with industry stakeholders to develop a cybersecurity framework that safeguards national interests without stifling innovation and growth. 

"We urge the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom (MoITT) to take swift and decisive action to rectify this grave situation," it said.

The association warned that failure to do so will have far-reaching consequences for Pakistan’s economy and its standing as a global technology hub.

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