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In 2024, Pakistan ranked second globally for the longest internet shutdowns, behind only Myanmar, which cost millions to the country’s digital economy.
According to the Top10VPN report, Pakistan ranked second globally for the longest internet shutdowns, with 1,861 hours, with the number of shutdown hours rising by 619 percent from 2023, which cost an estimated $351 million.
These shutdowns have hurt Pakistan’s digital economy, particularly the information and communication sector, which has been a strong source of foreign exchange.
Although the sector continues to contribute significantly to the economy, these disruptions raise operational costs for local tech companies and discourage them from bringing back more foreign currency.
The internet slowdown in Pakistan is also noticeable in terms of web traffic, which has been declining throughout the year.
The country’s average internet speed is among the lowest around 22MBps, further hindering its digital progress.
These challenges, along with other issues like inflation and limited rights, are causing young, talented Pakistanis to reconsider staying in the country.
Source: Dawn
