Pakistan's Internet Firewall Could Cost Economy $300 Million

• Pakistan's economy could lose up to $300 million due to internet disruptions caused by a national firewall, according to the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA).
• The firewall is being implemented to monitor and regulate content and social media platforms, though the government denies it is for censorship.
• Ali Ihsan, senior vice chairman of P@SHA, stated that the firewall has already caused prolonged internet disconnections and erratic VPN performance, threatening business operations.
• Rights activists argue that the blocking of social media platform X is intended to stifle critical voices and democratic accountability, while the government claims it is to stop anti-state activities.

Source: Reuters