The digital divide limiting opportunities in Pakistan
As Van Dijk (2020) posits, the digital divide refers to the gap between people who can access modern information and communication technology (ICT) and those who cannot. However, in Pakistan, this divide serves as a significant impediment to socioeconomic development by limiting opportunities in education, employment, healthcare, and civic participation. As access to the internet continues to…
The digital divide in Pakistan significantly limits opportunities in education, employment, healthcare, and civic participation. Despite growing internet access, disparities persist due to infrastructure unavailability, economic factors, low digital literacy, and gender gaps (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, 2023). The COVID-19 pandemic and economic crises have exacerbated these inequalities.
The digital divide directly impacts education, employment, healthcare, and public services, widening existing social and economic gaps. Rural-urban disparities are stark, with limited infrastructure, affordability issues, and limited digital literacy in rural areas (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority [PTA], 2023). With a large youth population, this divide hinders remote learning and skill development.
To compete globally, addressing the digital divide is crucial for economic growth. While progress has been made, with over 123 million broadband subscribers as of 2023 (PTA, 2023), only about 36% of Pakistanis have internet access, with rural areas lagging significantly behind urban centers (International Telecommunication Union [ITU], 2022).
Factors contributing to the digital divide include infrastructure gaps, economic barriers, gender disparities, and low digital literacy. Economic barriers prevent many Pakistanis from seizing digital job opportunities, with only 12% of rural workers engaged in digital employment compared to 41% in cities (Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 2023).
Telemedicine faces challenges in rural areas, where only 18% of clinics have stable internet for teleconsultations, compared to 72% in urban hospitals (World Health Organization, 2023). This digital gap leads to delayed healthcare services in remote regions, particularly evident during outbreaks like the 2023 dengue epidemic. The Pakistani government has initiated several digital policies and programs to address the digital divide, such as the Digital Policy of Pakistan (2021), which aims to expand broadband access and digital literacy, and the Universal Service Fund (USF), which funds infrastructure projects in underserved areas to ensure universal access to communication services (Ministry of IT & Telecom, 2021; Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, 2023).
Written by urgent.news from Business Recorder's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
