Welcome to the Stone Age: Pakistan ranked second by the duration of shutdowns in 2024 at 1,861 hours behind only Myanmar

Any Pakistani regularly interacting with foreigners has probably learned the art of navigating difficult questions, be they about the state of our democracy, human rights, or security. It’s far from a comfortable conversation with lots of context and occasional whataboutery. But for the most part, it’s all small talk with nothing of actual consequence. Or at least it was until recently. Over the last few years, those working with foreign clients have seen a major shift as questions about Pakistan transcend small talk and directly relate to the ability to deliver tasks. It’s no longer the theoretical “Is it safe to visit there?” but rather the upfront “Would you be able to guarantee the project given the internet situation?” This is a sobering reality check for Pakistan’s digital economy, which already had its fair share of challenges including macro uncertainty, dearth of capital and talent scarcity. Now, there’s another solid and needless contender to the list — one that shakes up the most fundamental building block.