Slow internet sparks concerns among Pakistani freelancers

Over the past month, internet users across Pakistan have been increasingly voicing their frustrations regarding frequent outages and slow internet speeds. The situation has particularly impacted the country’s freelancing community, raising concerns about its potential to increase unemployment rates.

In a recent episode of ARY News’ programme Sawal Yeh Hai, Warda Noor, the founder of xWave, and Irfan Malik, CEO of Xeven Solutions, discussed the implications of the current internet situation.

Warda Noor highlighted the challenges faced by those in rural areas, where the slowdown has disrupted IT education initiatives besides online income of youngsters. The students who were learning freelancing to secure their livelihoods are now losing hope due to the unsteady internet, she stated.

While Wi-Fi users involved in freelancing are experiencing some degree of slowdown, those relying on mobile data are severely affected, she emphasised adding “Their income is at risk, and this raises the question of how they will meet their household expenses and who will be held accountable,”.

Irfan Malik pointed out the significant revenue that Pakistan generates from IT and freelancing. The slow internet is damaging client trust, and losing clients would be a major setback with long-lasting effects, he said. Malik questioned the future management of the firewall system, expressing concerns over its impact on client confidence.

“Once a client leaves, it’s nearly impossible to bring them back,” he warned.

It is pertinent to mention here that the current internet issues are linked to the implementation of internet firewalls, which are installed at a country’s main internet gateways to monitor and filter traffic. While these systems can control or block content on websites and social media platforms, authorities claim that, they also have the capability to trace the origin of objectionable material.