Internet for All

Abstract

The pandemic COVID 19 has fast-tracked the demand for digital technologies especially the internet requirements by five years. Internet is the lifeline for startups; distant learning is a new paradigm shift and perhaps the future of innovative learning for all ages which in turn will enhance productivity. The real potential of the internet is to create an enabling environment for people to access information on health, education, business, e-commerce, etc. PIDE’s Reform Agenda for Accelerated and Sustained Growth[1] also emphasised that the internet is a basic human right and it must be taken very seriously, especially by the regulators. It should not be regarded as access to Facebook, YouTube, Google, etc. for entertainment purposes.

Action Point: With a 64% young population, the policy-makers and regulators need to realise the internet is a major source of opportunities and a basic human right.

International Comparison

When we look at various international rankings we can see that on every index related to internet, Pakistan is ranked well behind the countries which share similar socio-economic and demographic conditions. Either it is internet inclusive index, network readiness index, e-government development index, telecommunication infrastructure index, ICT development index or world economic forum index, Pakistan stands behind several South Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. In terms of affordability, according to PTA and GSMA report, the four major operators in Pakistan provide cheapest service in terms of a gigabyte of data availability compared to Bangladesh, Turkey, India and Egypt. The availability of internet remains a big issue for the majority of consumers and the devices are also not affordable.