Pakistan ranked third in the world for Internet restrictions in 2023

LAHORE MIRROR — Pakistan has been ranked third in the world over the imposition of internet restrictions in the first half of 2023, reported by Arab News. 

According to a report by Surfshark, a virtual private network company, Pakistan has been ranked third in the world for imposing internet restrictions during the first half of 2023. The report analyzed data from the Internet Shutdown Tracker, which monitors government-imposed internet restrictions globally.

During this period, Pakistan was responsible for three out of the 42 new restrictions imposed worldwide. These restrictions came into effect after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on May 9. The protests that followed the arrest led to an internet shutdown in many parts of the country, and access to social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube was restricted for three days. Mobile broadband services were eventually restored, but the shutdown had adverse effects on e-commerce, online services, home delivery, and ride-hailing apps, particularly in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Iran topped the list by imposing the highest number of internet restrictions in the first half of 2023, followed by India and Pakistan. The report highlighted that all three of Pakistan’s internet shutdowns were triggered by Imran Khan’s arrest. Furthermore, within the first half of 2023, Pakistan had already matched the number of internet restrictions it had in the entire year of 2022.

Asia accounted for 71 percent of all new internet restrictions worldwide, with Iran and India leading the tally with 14 and 9 recorded cases, respectively. The report noted that Iran’s shutdowns occurred during protests in Zahedan, following protests against the Zahedan massacre, while most of India’s restrictions were during protest events.

Surfshark described Pakistan’s internet restrictions as one of the “nationwide” shutdowns, which were deemed the toughest and most “economically devastating.” Only five countries resorted to such drastic measures in the first half of 2023, with Mauritania (twice), Senegal, Sudan, Cuba, and Pakistan being among them.

In addition to these nationwide restrictions, Facebook usage was restricted in five countries during the first half of 2023, including Ethiopia, Guinea, Senegal, Pakistan, and Suriname, compared to four countries in the previous year.

Overall, the report highlights the concerning trend of increasing internet restrictions globally, with Pakistan being a prominent player in this aspect during the first half of 2023.