To protest against internet taxes, a press conference was help in Lahore earlier this year. Our fellow media men were being agreed by the organizer of this press conference that if taxes are not revered then in the next five years Pakistan’s economy could face a loss of about Rs. 200 billion.
Approximately All the journalists thank that the organizer is cheating them and showing a threadbare figure to remove the internet taxes.Its indeed a fact that organizer has no any verifiable sources or authenticated research in favour of to claim his thought. But he tried to explain them
that these statistics was achieved after the research report of a UK based engineering firm in which it is estimated that growth of internet in Pakistan could provide the Pakistan economy a benefit of about PRs. 1000 billion, but the organizer was not believed by the journalists about the number and he’s claimed as a wronger.But now, I say to all those journalists and other persons who were claiming me as a wronger, to visit and observe Indian
Prime Minister’s Townhall Question/Answer session with Facebook head Mark Zucherberg at Headquarters of Facebook and survey that how India is selling his brand name of Digital India to increase the growth of internet.
Heavy investments are being made by all other countries on digital infrastructure, but Pakistani policy makers are trying to decrease the digital infrastructure by applying the taxes on internet.
Do you know what “Digital India” is? It’s a government scheme that points to connect all 250,000 panchayats (local bodies, same as our Union Councils) with their National Fiber Optic Network to provide the facility of internet to more than 800 million unconnected population.It is no need to indicate that India had started its National Fiber Optic
Network in 2011 with the funding of $3 billion from their USF (Universal Service Fund). Furthermore, India started this project after getting the model from USF Pakistan’s Fiber Optic Program that has planned to connect all Tehsil HQs (ultimately the Union Councils) of the country.Anyway, Indian’s National Fiber Optic Network is experiencing the great hold ups, examining the importance of the country, once when it will be completed, it will be a great platform for their 1.25 billion population who would be able to guide the upcoming generation of internet economy.
Do you know, more than $750 million are deposited in the accounts of USF Pakistan but it’s doing nothing.
This confirms that at this time internet connectivity is very important so that all the countries on the earth are trying to invest heavily on their digital infrastructure. But unluckily, Pakistani policy makers are not just paying any attention to the fact about digital infrastructure but also they are applying taxes on internet to decrease the growth of internet economy.It is shocked fact that if the Government of Pakistan thought that our duty is to auction the spectrums of 3G and 4G technologies to fill up the space and in return government will get billions
of dollars then it is a great misunderstanding of the government.On the other hand non-governement operators are launching great projects to facilitate the next-gen networks. But they could not get the required support from the government which is useful to enlarge the internet uptake.
If the Government of Pakistan really wants to bring economy of Pakistan to up level then it needs to launch a clear policy on internet taxes, a long-term strategy about internet, an ecosystem and most advanced fiber optic infrastructure.
The most advanced fiber optic infrastructure, clear policy on internet taxes, long-term strategy about internet and an ecosystem, like awareness about internet campaigns, cyber-crime & cyber laws and integrated payment methods etc –
are all that which government needs to promote, if the government is serious to promote the economy of Pakistan to the advance level.If our policy makers really wish to increase the rate of Fiber Optic Program to connect Tehsil HQs and Union Councils across the country, then government need to give the task to USF to avail the internet rural and far flung areas.
As there are no much for the citizens of Pakistan, but it’s a good news that in the world of freelancers, Pakistan has ranked number five. It means that if fiber optic is made available to rural and far flung areas then this rank can be more improved.
And then USF authorize to Tehsil HQs and Union Councils to setup and lease small ISPs to locals (through auctions/bidding system), this will not only help to deposit revenues to government account and also it will increase the growth of internet.Once USF complete this project, there will be hundreds of thousands of technicians, freelancers,
home-based companies serving from all over the Pakistan and will do amazing thing which is impossible this time. This will be also the priority of the government about Rules and Regulations for internet, implementation of SOPs for QoS and renewal of expired policies.This is very important to invest on education about awareness of internet. It will help the users that how to use the internet, on the other side it will also help them to be careful about disadvantages of internet, like prize frauds, identity theft, internet harassment, privacy protection etc.
Conclusion:
USF needs to use the funds which are available in their accounts for the investment on internet education using any suitable and standardized technique. Honoring to internet users – ISPs have to provide free internet facility for student for a certain period of time to pass their exams. USF should have to expand an acceptable road map through consulting experts in this field.
After doing the above achievements, it is sure that for the Pakistan’s economy internet will a huge income generating source. But Government of Pakistan has to complete some formalities and requirements to avail the internet to every single person of our country Pakistan and has to remove the taxes on internet so that internet could be accessible for everyone.
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