Pakistan third in world for most internet restrictions

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has ranked third in the world for the highest number of internet restrictions in 2023, according to a report by Netherlands-based VPN provider Surfshark.

Iran imposed the highest number of internet restrictions with 14 recorded cases during the first half of 2023. India followed with nine cases, and Pakistan with three.

Surfshark tracks government-imposed internet restrictions across the world with its Internet Shutdown Tracker tool.

Pakistan imposed a shutdown in parts of the country when May 9 riots broke out, following the former prime minister’s arrest. The government also limited access to social media platforms Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for three days before restoring mobile broadband services.

Pakistan was among five countries that resorted to “nationwide” restrictions in the first half of 2023. Others included Mauritania, Senegal, Sudan, and Cuba.

The shutdown affected e-commerce, online services, home delivery and ride-hailing apps, particularly in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The report called it “economically devastating.”

“Within the first half of this year, Pakistan has already had the same number of internet restrictions as in all of 2022,” Surfshark said.

Similarly, the report states that all of Iran’s shutdowns took place during protests in the Iranian city of Zahedan, following the Zahedan massacre. The majority of India’s restrictions also came due to protests.

Overall, Asia accounted for 71 per cent of all new global restrictions. An estimated 2.35 billion people experienced internet censorship throughout the year, the report found.

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