Hashtag(s): #InternetShutdowns, #5G, #Keepiton, #InternetAccess.

Frequent internet shutdowns and disruptions are causing severe economic losses for
Pakistan, and the government must now roll out 5G to tackle this crisis, according to
Pakistan’s IT industry. As the independent VPN review website TopVPN observed in their
report on the economic impacts of global internet shutdowns, Pakistan was the most
severely impacted, suffering a US$1.62 billion hit to the economy, and with 82.9 million
users being affected. Coupled with statements made by the head of P@SHA last month
claiming that Pakistan risks facing yearly financial losses up to US$150 million, the IT
industry has called for the rollout of 5G to be sped up, through a March 2025 spectrum
auction. The head of P@SHA has also pushed for new undersea cables to be installed, and
for cell towers to be enhance for fibre-optic capabilities.