Internet in Pakistan
The Internet has been accessible in Pakistan since the early 1990s, and the country now boasts over 140 million Internet users, ranking it as the 7th-largest population of Internet users globally. Information and communications technology (ICT) is one of the fastest-growing industries in Pakistan. In 2001, only 1.3% of the population used the Internet, but this figure increased to 6.5% by 2006 and reached 10.0% in 2012. As of July 2021, approximately 54% of the population, translating to around 118 million citizens, had access to the Internet. Recognizing the significant role of telecommunications in the economy, the Government of Pakistan (GoP) introduced the Telecommunication Policy 2015. This policy acknowledges telecommunications as a dominant sector contributing to societal well-being and GDP. The Telecom Policy 2015 aims to support a comprehensive national agenda and transform Pakistan into an economically vibrant, knowledge-based, middle-income country by 2025.
UserbaseEdit
As of January 2025, Pakistan has approximately 14.3 crore Internet users, with 30 lakh fixed broadband subscribers and 14 crore mobile broadband subscribers. The country is served by 207 operational Internet Service Providers (ISPs) as of December 2024. The primary top-level domain for Pakistan is .pk.
BroadbandEdit
Pakistan has over 200 Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and fiber-based home broadband has experienced rapid growth, increasing from fewer than 70,000 subscribers in 2018 to 19 lakh subscribers as of January 2025. High-speed broadband is available through all major ISPs, offering plans that range from 10 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s. Notable providers in the fiber broadband segment include:
- FlashFiber (the Fiber to the Home brand by PTCL)
- StormFiber (a subsidiary of Cybernet)
- Nayatel
- Transworld Home (a subsidiary of Transworld Associates)
Internet BackhaulEdit
Pakistan ensures its international connectivity through seven fiber-optic submarine communications cables. Additionally, the country is set to enhance this infrastructure with the addition of three new cables expected to be operational within the next two years.
| Operator | Submarine Cable |
|---|---|
| PTCL
(Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited) |
|
| Transworld Associates |
|
| Cybernet |
Anti-competitive practicesEdit
PTCL has a longstanding history of engaging in anti-competitive practices since the early 2000s, facing multiple court cases related to predatory pricing and collusion aimed at maintaining its monopoly and driving competitors out of the broadband market. Notably, in 2013, LINKdotNET, a subsidiary of Mobilink (now Jazz), was compelled to shut down due to market conditions and transfer all its residential DSL users to PTCL’s services.
The inadequate infrastructure and the abuse of dominant positions by Tier-1 operators are the two main factors negatively affecting internet speeds in Pakistan. These issues encompass technology limitations, available backhaul, and international internet bandwidth. As a result, Pakistan's internet speeds are significantly lower than those of neighboring countries and even some less developed nations.
PTCL and Transworld Associates (TWA) effectively share a duopoly over internet backhaul by operating the majority of submarine communications cables entering the country. Both networks have been known to engage in anti-competitive behavior, including price gouging and the illegal blocking of Tier-2 ISPs that obtain bandwidth through resellers.
ReferencesEdit
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:2 - ↑ "SEA-ME-WE 6 - Submarine Networks". www.submarinenetworks.com. Retrieved 2024-02-10.