As Pakistan strives to establish itself as a key player in the global digital economy, a coalition of professionals, entrepreneurs, and service providers is sounding the alarm over the country’s current digital regulatory practices. The Association for PR, Events, Digital and Activation (PREDA), which represents a broad spectrum of industry stakeholders, is calling on the government to reconsider policies that are undermining the potential of Pakistan’s growing digital sector.
The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) has estimated that a 24-hour internet shutdown can cost the economy around PKR 1.3 billion (approximately 0.57% of the country’s daily GDP). In 2023 alone, Pakistan suffered a staggering loss of PKR 65 billion (USD 237.6 million) due to internet shutdowns.
