September 24, 2025
By Kaleem Ullah
LAHORE
If you are living in any urban centre of Pakistan and are deprived of internet access for even a week, have you ever thought about how it would affect your life, education, social connectivity, livelihood, freedom of speech, and human rights?
Internet access in Pakistan is growing rapidly. But do you know that there are still many parts of the country where internet service does not exist at all? In some areas, people are restricted to limited landline internet service only.
At the top of the list are the former tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Just a few years ago, there wasn’t even a mobile cellular network in this part of the country, and people were compelled to depend on public call offices (PCOs). Now there are mobile signals, but still no concept of 3G or 4G internet. Almost the same situation exists in the remote districts of Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK).
For instance, if you travel from District Bannu to North Waziristan, as soon as you enter the district at Saidgai check post, your cellular internet will shut down. If you need internet during your stay there, you will have to rely on someone who has a special Tenda internet connection at their home or shop—permitted by the authorities. The same situation exists in Kurram and South Waziristan.
Tenda is a PTCL connection that, in the absence of fibre, provides internet through two or three antennae from the PTCL exchange within a radius of about 20 kilometres. This system costs more than 100,000 and requires special permission from more than 20 departments of the civil and military administration. The process is extremely complicated—not only because PTCL connections are already limited, but also because obtaining permission is nearly impossible unless there is a solid reason for installation, along with assurances of its “responsible” usage.
The absence of internet is further exacerbating the already existing backwardness in these regions. Students, traders, freelancers—all are severely affecting. This deprivation is not just limited to income and education but also impacting the fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and movement.
Security concerns or deliberate silencing?
Why is internet so strictly restricted in these regions? Civil and military authorities cite fragile security conditions as the reason. But locals remain unconvinced. They argue that security challenges exist across the country—even during the recent Pakistan-India conflict, the internet was not shut down elsewhere. They believe they are deliberately deprived of this facility to silence their voices.
For journalists, this lack of internet is an even tougher trial. Already risking their lives to report from conflict-hit areas, they often cannot send stories to their outlets on time. Much of their hard work goes to waste because of internet blackouts, leaving the public’s problems unreported.
This issue is not limited to the former FATA. In Balochistan, the situation is not much different. In many districts, mobile internet is entirely unavailable. Recently, in Quetta—the provincial capital—internet services remained suspended for an entire month. No reasons were shared with the public, and later the PTA stated that the disruption was due to “security concerns.” The shutdown severely affected the already underprivileged population of more than 20 million.
Currently, Pakistan’s internet penetration stands at 45%, meaning 45 out of every 100 people have internet access. But in Balochistan, the rate is only 15%. A major factor is the lack of digital infrastructure, particularly limited deployment of fiber-optic networks. According to a 2013 report, around 60% of Balochistan did not have access to fiber-optic cables—a situation that has seen little improvement since.
The consequences are profound. In education, students in Balochistan are deprived of online learning opportunities, digital resources, and modern educational tools. The COVID-19 pandemic starkly highlighted this divide: students in urban areas continued their education online, while many in Balochistan were left behind, deepening inequalities.
Hafeezullah Sherani, a journalist in Quetta, tells Voicepk how the one-month internet disruption affected his work and family life.
“Since my work is connected with the internet—coordinating and conducting interviews over WhatsApp—the shutdown made my journalistic life extremely difficult. I was unable to send or upload my reports, and even contacting sources became a struggle.” he , “It wasn’t just me. My wife, who teaches online classes, was also severely affected.”
A digital divide with national consequences
At present, the number of social media users in Pakistan has surpassed 70 million. Platforms like YouTube provide millions of young people with opportunities for income and access to global markets. But Balochistan and the tribal districts remain far behind in this digital race.
The issue of internet connectivity is also a major barrier to tourism. Gilgit-Baltistan, one of Pakistan’s most popular tourist destinations, attracts millions of visitors every year. Yet only one cellular company, SCOM, provides service there—and its speed and quality are extremely poor.
Sakhi Saeed, a political worker from Gilgit-Baltistan and vice chairman of the Awami Workers Party, described the situation: “Even making a phone call here is difficult; internet for us is nothing less than a dream. We have protested many times, but the issue remains unresolved.” He explained that during the COVID-19 pandemic, when students were forced into online learning, the poor internet became the biggest obstacle for students enrolled in universities across the country.
Pakistan’s future is said to be tied to the digital economy. But until every province, district, and village has equal access to internet services, this development will remain unequal. Because digital access is not just a facility—it is a fundamental right.