KARACHI: The Pakistan Freelancers Association (PAFLA) has urged the government and internet service providers to ensure uninterrupted, high-speed internet services nationwide to support the digitally connected economy, including freelancers and gig economy workers, a statement said on Monday.
PAFLA Chairperson Ibrahim Amin said that persistent internet slowdowns are adversely affecting the productivity of freelancers and other online workers, who make significant contributions to the economy, such as bringing in foreign exchange and helping reduce unemployment in the country.
He highlighted that slow and interrupted internet connectivity, combined with frequent electricity outages, has significantly worsened working conditions for freelancers. As a result, many struggle to meet project deadlines, which can negatively impact their platform rankings and damage their professional credibility.
Amin also pointed out that thousands of workers as part of the gig economy, including ride-hailing drivers and food delivery personnel, are facing similar challenges due to slow internet connectivity, which directly impacts the earnings and revenue streams of their respective sectors.
It is pertinent to mention here that PTCL, a major internet service provider, has announced a maintenance activity of its submarine cable for nearly a week, which affected the overall internet speed and service quality across the country.
To address these issues, he suggested that the government introduce satellite-based internet solutions as an alternative, ensuring reliable connectivity and minimising disruptions caused by submarine cable faults.
According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Pakistan is home to over 2.37 million freelancers, ranking among the top countries globally in terms of freelance workforce size. The State Bank of Pakistan’s data reported that Pakistan earned over $800 million in foreign exchange through freelancers of IT and IT-related services despite challenges of slow internet and electricity load shedding.
Hundreds of thousands of individuals trained by public sector initiatives and non-governmental organisations are entering the freelancing market each month, boosting the country’s foreign exchange earnings. In this regard, the role of institutions is crucial in the development of the freelancing ecosystem in the country, including the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication, the Pakistan Software Export Board, and the Special Investment Facilitation Council in developing a supportive ecosystem for freelancers, he said.
The PAFLA chairperson expressed optimism that the rollout of 5G technology will significantly improve internet speeds in the near future, enhancing the productivity of freelancers, content creators, and other online professionals across the country.
