Why this man put up a billboard in Karachi to thank Mark Zuckerberg for Internet.org

Rehan Allahwala says he wants to use the billboards to spread better messages


Gibran Ashraf June 17, 2015

KARACHI: After Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled his free content access service Internet.org in Pakistan, one man chose to show his gratitude to the social media giant in a rather unique way: a billboard on one of the busiest intersections of Karachi.

Rehan Allahwala, an entrepreneur and chief executive officer of software company Super Technologies Inc, put up a billboard on the cross section of Shahrah-e-Faisal and Rafiiqi HJ Road, right opposite Regent Plaza while heading towards Metropole. The road is one of the key arteries connecting the city to the main business district on II Chundrigar road.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Allahwala said that the billboard served more than the obvious purpose of appreciating Facebook for its effort to bring internet to the masses in Pakistan. Additionally, Allahwala said the billboard also got the word around about how Facebook and a select number of websites were now free to access through the Internet.org facility.



Allahwala added that the billboard, which costs nearly Rs0.1 million a month, is what he calls his ‘offline social media' – something he would be using a lot more, changing it every few days to raise awareness about other positive developments and people in the country.

“We put up billboards of ... people who we need something from, but [we] never appreciate [those] people who are doing good work. So I want to use that billboard for spreading better messages.”

Asked about the concerns some people have about Internet.org and how it restricts a users' choice and access to sources of information to only those that are part of Facebook’s programme, Allahwala said he too shared those concerns. “Yes, these concerns are valid. I have concerns, but that doesn’t mean we can stop using them. What we can do is stop them from becoming the only power.”



The billboard which was put up by Rehan Allahwala. PHOTO: REHAN ALLAHWALA

Internet.org would allow Pakistanis to log on to a host of websites free of charge. The websites included are: Accuweather; BBC; BabyCenter &MAMA; Malaria No More; Unicef Facts for Life; Bing.com; ESPN Cricinfo; Mustakbil; ilmkidunya; Telenor News; Urdupoint Cooking; OLX, Facebook; Messenger and Wikipedia.

According to a market research by GfK, there are over 30 million Internet users and 15 million smartphone users in Pakistan. Recent statistics showed a staggering growth in Internet use of over 550 per cent between September 2014 and April of this year, with the total number of 3G subscribers crossing 11 million. The research also predicted the Pakistan’s tech device market to grow by 15 per cent in 2015.



Another design of the billboard. PHOTO: REHAN ALLAHWALA

According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Telenor had 37.313 million subscribers at the end of April 2015 -- up from 36.598 million in March, and second behind market leaders Mobilink who have 38.149 million subscribers -- down from 38.184 million in March.

Telenor, however, led the market for 3G subscribers with 3.86 million, ahead of the likes of Zong -China Mobile who had 3.46 million subscribers (3G and 4G subscribers) and Mobilink, who had 3.09 million subscribers.

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