One-hour internet outage costs IT sector $1 million

Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) warned that frequent interruptions in internet connectivity might be harmful to the country’s fastest-growing Information Technology (IT) sector, urging long-lasting solutions for the connectivity challenges. 

“Outages of an hour ditches $910,000 of the IT sector,” said P@SHA president Sajjad Mustafa Syed, adding, “Currently, 99 percent of IT industries are raising concerns over connectivity problems due to slower or no internet, which is directly affecting productivity.” 

On the other hand, he also disclosed that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTI) had formed a cell aimed at solving the IT industry's complaints, but domestic consumers could not benefit from this. 

“Under the PECA laws,” the services should only be interrupted when there will be security threats and “VPNs could not be blocked as well,” but free VPNs would escalate the risk of a security breach. 

According to Syed, PECA allows authorities to block social media applications. 

However, Syed believed that a local VPN service provider centre should be established to provide registered VPNs domestically to enhance surveillance and minimise the risk. 

“VPN services providers should have authority to block specific content,” he said.

Syed noted the IT industry has the potential to strengthen the economy as it returns “$49 over the investment of $1,” so the government should address the challenges proactively.