KARACHI:
The decision to repeatedly disrupt internet services under the pretext of security or other flimsy excuses is not just an inconvenience but an assault on the livelihoods of millions. The latest casualty of this reckless policy is the freelance sector, a burgeoning industry that has placed Pakistan among the top five countries globally.
Yet, this significant economic driver is now under siege, with global platforms like Fiverr temporarily rendering Pakistani freelancers “unavailable” due to unreliable internet connectivity. This is nothing short of economic sabotage, orchestrated by the very people that swore to protect its citizens’ interests. For a nation already grappling with a failing economy, these disruptions have severed a vital lifeline. Freelancers, who collectively generate billions in foreign exchange, are now at risk of being permanently cut off from the global market. Worse still is the psychological toll on the nation’s youth. This is a generation that has been forced to navigate a minefield of instability and uncertainty, with their futures hanging in the balance. The government’s indifference to the plight of these young professionals is unforgivable.
The government’s failure to understand and harness this potential is a damning indictment of its inability to govern effectively. It must now decide whether it will continue down this path of self-destruction or finally recognise the critical importance of the internet and the freelance industry to the nation’s future.
Gulab Umid
Turbat
