The suspension of mobile broadband services has had a devastating economic impact, resulting in significant losses for telecom operators, the government, and the Pakistani people.
Mobile broadband services suspended
According to sources in the telecom sector, telecom operators have lost an estimated Rs. 820 million in revenue, while the government has lost approximately Rs. 287 million in tax revenue.
Furthermore, people who rely on digital apps like Careem, InDrive, FoodPanda, and others have seen a significant drop in earnings, while digital payments have come to a halt.
The suspension has caused widespread inconvenience and hardship to the public, necessitating the immediate attention of the relevant authorities in order to resume data services.
According to sources, consumers, in addition to telecom companies, were suffering losses.
Customers who subscribe to daily bundles using data are also affected because, with data services suspended, users are unable to activate any bundles.
Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim commented on the situation, saying that shutting down the internet is not a solution because it creates more problems than it solves.
“125 million Pakistanis have been without mobile internet for nearly 24 hours – a critical tool in emergencies and productivity,” he said.
Aamir emphasized that the economic damage is quantifiable, but the inconvenience to people is incalculable.
It is worth noting that mobile internet services have been suspended in many cities throughout Pakistan since Tuesday.
Services were disrupted on Tuesday as a result of protests following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The situation has not improved and shows no signs of abating.
Many cities, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi, have reported service disruptions. Service disruptions have been reported on all of the country’s major mobile networks.
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