Internet in Pakistan
With 3.7 million Internet subscribers, an estimated 22 million Pakistanis were online
in 2008, constituting a penetration rate of around 10 percent. 10 Pakistan has experienced considerable growth in its information and communication technology (ICT)
sector; in 2003, the government deregulated its telecom market, opening itself up to
corporate competition in telephone, cellular, and Internet services. 11 Internet access is
widely available at Internet cafe ´s, which accommodate many lower-income and casual
users. Rates for usage range between PKR 15 and PKR 40 per hour (USD 0.25–0.60 per
hour), depending on location and amenities. Internet cafe ´ managers are expected to
monitor the activities in their establishments, but based on user experience these cafe ´s
appear to be mostly unregulated by the regular police.
Since deregulation, the market has become highly competitive, and there are
currently approximately 50 ISPs in Pakistan of varying size and quality of service. 12
The largest ISPs in the country include Cybernet, Comsats, Brainnet, Gonet, and
Paknet (a subsidiary of the Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited, or
PTCL). Although the estimated penetration rate for broadband Internet is just over 1
percent and demand has historically been low, Pakistan is ranked fourth globally in
broadband Internet growth, with a growth rate of over 180 percent in metropolitan
areas. 13
All Internet traffic in and out of Pakistan is routed by the PTCL, which controls the
IT infrastructure of the country through its subsidiary, the Pakistan Internet Exchange
(PIE), with three international gateways at Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi,
and small/medium points of presence (POPs) in six other cities. 14 Domestic Internet
traffic is peered at the PIE gateways within the country. In 2007, the PTCL’s Karachi
exchange reportedly processed at least 95 percent of Pakistan’s Internet traffic. 15 In
February 2008, the construction of a fifth undersea cable system that would link India
and France (I-ME-WE) was announced, to be available for service by the end of 2009
and serving nine telecoms, including the PTCL. 16 The company invested USD 50 million into I-ME-WE, expected to have a capacity of 3.84 terabits per second. 17
The Internet, as a tool for dissemination of information and mobilization of civil society, has been increasingly integrated into the political life of Pakistan. Bloggers across
Pakistan objected to the intermittent block on the Blogspot platform and the temporary blocking of Wikipedia in 2006, and initiated a virtual civil society movement to
repeal the orders. 18 In the movement against Musharraf’s declaration of emergency in
November 2007, with lawyers leading mass protests and acts of civil disobedience
against the suspension of judges and the constitution, 19 a convergence between new
and old media became evident. 20 According to one contributor to the Emergency
Times blog (pakistanmartiallaw.blogspot.com), created to keep people informed about
news and protests, ‘‘the real resistance to the emergency was built on the Internet.’’ 21
Pakistan
491
With 3.7 million Internet subscribers, an estimated 22 million Pakistanis were online
in 2008, constituting a penetration rate of around 10 percent. 10 Pakistan has experienced considerable growth in its information and communication technology (ICT)
sector; in 2003, the government deregulated its telecom market, opening itself up to
corporate competition in telephone, cellular, and Internet services. 11 Internet access is
widely available at Internet cafe ´s, which accommodate many lower-income and casual
users. Rates for usage range between PKR 15 and PKR 40 per hour (USD 0.25–0.60 per
hour), depending on location and amenities. Internet cafe ´ managers are expected to
monitor the activities in their establishments, but based on user experience these cafe ´s
appear to be mostly unregulated by the regular police.
Since deregulation, the market has become highly competitive, and there are
currently approximately 50 ISPs in Pakistan of varying size and quality of service. 12
The largest ISPs in the country include Cybernet, Comsats, Brainnet, Gonet, and
Paknet (a subsidiary of the Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited, or
PTCL). Although the estimated penetration rate for broadband Internet is just over 1
percent and demand has historically been low, Pakistan is ranked fourth globally in
broadband Internet growth, with a growth rate of over 180 percent in metropolitan
areas. 13
All Internet traffic in and out of Pakistan is routed by the PTCL, which controls the
IT infrastructure of the country through its subsidiary, the Pakistan Internet Exchange
(PIE), with three international gateways at Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi,
and small/medium points of presence (POPs) in six other cities. 14 Domestic Internet
traffic is peered at the PIE gateways within the country. In 2007, the PTCL’s Karachi
exchange reportedly processed at least 95 percent of Pakistan’s Internet traffic. 15 In
February 2008, the construction of a fifth undersea cable system that would link India
and France (I-ME-WE) was announced, to be available for service by the end of 2009
and serving nine telecoms, including the PTCL. 16 The company invested USD 50 million into I-ME-WE, expected to have a capacity of 3.84 terabits per second. 17
The Internet, as a tool for dissemination of information and mobilization of civil society, has been increasingly integrated into the political life of Pakistan. Bloggers across
Pakistan objected to the intermittent block on the Blogspot platform and the temporary blocking of Wikipedia in 2006, and initiated a virtual civil society movement to
repeal the orders. 18 In the movement against Musharraf’s declaration of emergency in
November 2007, with lawyers leading mass protests and acts of civil disobedience
against the suspension of judges and the constitution, 19 a convergence between new
and old media became evident. 20 According to one contributor to the Emergency
Times blog (pakistanmartiallaw.blogspot.com), created to keep people informed about
news and protests, ‘‘the real resistance to the emergency was built on the Internet.’’ 21
Pakistan
491