ISLAMABAD: In a bid to focus on Internet infrastructure and related issues, the Internet Society (ISOC), in collaboration with Asian Development Bank (ADB) and UNESCAP, is conducting a regional study of 10 countries from Central Asia, the Caucuses and South Asia.
ISOC Asia-Pacific Head Rajnesh Singh, talking to media said that the study will be released later this year but shared some advance findings with the media regarding Pakistan. This synopsis highlighted some of the opportunities along with some major challenges that are faced by the region and Pakistan specifically.
The report highlighted that, although Pakistan has the lowest Internet user density (users per 100 individuals) of 13.8% in the region, due to its geostrategic location and access to coastlines, Pakistan has the potential to become a supply route for the neighbouring landlocked countries for Internet and communication services.
Through the adoption of effective and favourable policies by the government – and pursuing agreements with neighbouring governments – Pakistan in the near future can find itself as an integral part of the supply chain to these countries. This will also allow it to enhance its own internal Internet bandwidth availability, and help pave the way for greater digitization of Pakistan’s own economy with growth, modernization and development in all sectors. However, the report also underscores that the window of opportunity for Pakistan to position itself in this manner is finite.
