KARACHI:
It has been a year since Dera Bugti lost access to mobile internet and since then, all promises made by elected representatives for technological progress have been fruitless. The district with the largest gas reserves, which significantly contributes to Pakistan’s GDP and fulfils both domestic and commercial needs of the country, has been disconnected from the rest of the world for a year. The only available access to the internet is through PTCL’s cable internet service, which is unaffordable for much of the population as well as being unreliable.
The impacts of this technological shutdown are far-reaching; students are unable to attend online classes, freelancers are unable to reach their clients and many have lost work, families are unable to connect with expatriated loved ones, and it is difficult to access global news from unfiltered channels. Access to the internet is not a privilege, but rather a fundamental right of every citizen in this day and age. The need for mobile internet is pressing and must be addressed.
Anwar Bugti
Jaffarabad
