Daily Times

In the last few days, the nation-wide internet shutdown affected approximately 125 million people. While Pakistan is connected to the world now, authorities suspended internet services after former prime minister Imran Khan’s arrest stoked mass demonstrations and rioting across the country. The government also introduced special restrictions on social networking apps that allow people to stay connected to the world around them-interactive apps such as Twitter, Youtube and Instagram have been severely restricted, hindering businesses and individuals who rely on precisely these kinds of apps to fulfill their daily responsibilities.

Now, it seems that internet access is being restored at a piecemeal pace across the region. But the reputational damage that Pakistan has suffered as a result of the shutdown is irreversible. Consumers aren’t the only ones impacted by the shutdown-disruptions have affected the telecom sector and signal serious trouble for Pakistan’s economy, which is already hanging by a thread. Yesterday, the rupee crawled down to 295.63 against the dollar, an all-time low for the country. Telecom operators have incurred an estimated revenue loss of 1.64 billion rupees, while the government has lost approximately 574 million rupees in tax revenue at a time when it should be broadening its tax-base to appease the IMF.

Meanwhile, negotiations with the IMF are still at an absolute deadlock and inflation so high it has literally begun crushing people. What we have accomplished is the overwhelming task of pushing already skeptical skilled labor such as IT specialists and engineers out of the country, as they look for work in more stable environments elsewhere. International freelancing platforms such as Fiverr have already begun putting Pakistani IDs in unavailability mode as freelancers across the country struggle to meet their commitments.

Ultimately, a hail-mary like an internet shutdown does nothing to remedy the trust deficit that has kept international investors from committing their resources to Pakistan for months now. We should be restoring confidence in our ability to handle difficult situations. Instead, we revert to the same old tricks, putting a band-aid on a deeper malaise that cannot be cured until we confront reality. *