Daily Times

For the last month or so, students in South Waziristan have been putting up a relentless fight against the ongoing suspension of internet services. They are not alone. Last year, the great digital divide had taken centre stage in Balochistan, where the pandemic-induced decision to go virtual did not sit well with students. How could it, when almost all of the province awaited the lifeline of the 21st Century–fibre-optic cable? Before that, there were petitions making rounds in the tribal region, where internet services remained suspended thanks to “safety measures.”

Going by our lowest rank on access to the internet in South Asia (120), there are slim chances of these nightmares taking a turn for the better. If it’s not the plight of those raising the access card, people in Pakistan are busy fighting their way through one of the slowest internet speeds across the world. Imagine people in the post-Covid world settling on rooftops and climbing mountains to catch the slightest of bars even though it is 2021. The overambitious catchphrase of “Internet for All” would do little to do wonders in a country where the fundamentals of connected life still remain out of reach. This has largely stemmed from infrastructural gaps. Despite the need to tackle this predicament on an emergency footing, Pakistan does not seem interested in spreading the web to rural areas. While Universal Service Fund is an exemplary initiative, ending the digital divide is no small feat. Billions are needed to connect over 35 per cent of the land still miles away from the new age. The expenses of broadband services notwithstanding, it is imperative for the government to prioritise cellphone operators over the dusty PTCL. How can our youth be convinced to put a premium on Digital Pakistan when feeble broadband signals disappear over the slightest of weather events? It would, therefore, be most valuable to convince private companies to invest in distant terrain.

First and foremost comes the need to realise that it is not just the youth that demands a sturdy entrance into the digital arena. Yes, the fact that we now have more young people than ever before should act as a key driver for state policies. That even today, they are forced to jump over an array of barriers merely to seek a little window of opportunities, is a sad, sad reflection of our affairs.

However, the profit prospects are so much more than meets the eye. While the government can earn substantial revenue during spectrum auctions, it would be a smidgen when compared to the bigger economic picture. Once the highways of the information edge take small businesses to markets beyond borders, zero transaction costs can help strengthen an otherwise feeble trade balance. If not to secure constitutionally-ordained freedoms (Article 19 and 19-A,) or to work on its broken promise (Education for All), Pakistan can at least consider the free flow of data for the sake of its digital economy. *