Pakistani Businesses Warn of Internet Disruptions Amid Fears of 'Firewall' Censorship (ft.com) 29
Pakistani businesses say internet disruptions this month have harmed their businesses [non-paywalled link] and unsettled investors at a time when the country is counting on the information technology sector to help break a cycle of economic crises and bailouts. From a report: The warnings from executives, investors and a leading IT organisation come as internet watchdogs have reported a marked slowdown in connection speeds and service interruptions to applications such as WhatsApp, the Meta-owned messaging platform that is widely used in the country. Nadeem Elahi, managing director for TRG, a venture capital firm that operates Pakistan's biggest outsourcing services provider, said internet connectivity was "by far the worst it has been in the last 12 months."
"If we want to be a global business processing operation destination, then 100 per cent reliable connectivity is essential for customers," he said, estimating that the quality of connection had degraded by 30 to 40 per cent. Technology is one of Pakistan's few standout sectors, and Islamabad is relying on software developers and IT freelancers to help lift the country out of a chronic foreign exchange rut that has sent it to the IMF for support two dozen times. IT exports rose 24 per cent to $3.2bn, an all-time high, in the 12 months to the end of June, according to the State Bank of Pakistan.
"If we want to be a global business processing operation destination, then 100 per cent reliable connectivity is essential for customers," he said, estimating that the quality of connection had degraded by 30 to 40 per cent. Technology is one of Pakistan's few standout sectors, and Islamabad is relying on software developers and IT freelancers to help lift the country out of a chronic foreign exchange rut that has sent it to the IMF for support two dozen times. IT exports rose 24 per cent to $3.2bn, an all-time high, in the 12 months to the end of June, according to the State Bank of Pakistan.
Supporting terrorism ain't $$$ innovation (Score:1)
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A big part of it is the military is one of the biggest business owners. It is like your government runs McDonald's.
Interesting country (Score:3)
Personally, with large percentages of the nation living by standards I cannot tolerate, I'd never do business in or with Pakistan... But better they open call centers than kill people for blasphemy against their prophet.
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Re:Interesting country (Score:5, Insightful)
The left doesn't love Islam; it refuses to assume every Muslim is a brown-skinned fanatic bent on the destruction of everything not Islamic.
The right in the US is in love with radical Christianity, and to those of us who belong to neither faith they're just different degrees of bad, with the lesser trying diligently to catch up with the greater.
If you want me to hate Muslims, just be aware that if I start down that path, Christians aren't far behind. I'm willing to live and let live with anyone who reciprocates.
Re:Interesting country (Score:4, Insightful)
I'm willing to live and let live with anyone who reciprocates.
I disagree with you on most things, but not on this. I also agree with your thesis. If you hate Islam because it's a religion full of bigotry, then you should probably hate on Christians, too. They are not that different and share most of the same bigotry. The idea that only Muslims want a Theocracy is bullshit, too. Jews and Christians not only want them, but have had quite a few over the years and they worked like shit most of the time and failed early and often.
it refuses to assume every Muslim is a brown-skinned fanatic
In general, Lefties try to be accepting, nurturing, and tolerant. I'm positive about the tolerance, but negative on the forced-acceptance and forced-nurturing part where applicable. I'm totally fine saying I hate your fucking religion, your value systems, the ugly way you dress, and your stupid culture that seems backward as any hillbilly's, but in the final analysis I'm not going to hurt you or restrict your freedom as long as you leave me the fuck alone and keep your stupidity contained. Ie.. I'll accept you, but don't force me to try and like you.
Re:Interesting country (Score:4, Insightful)
My stance: "I respect your right to have your faith, but that does not mean I respect your faith."
Re:Interesting country (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: Interesting country (Score:2)
In general, Lefties try to be accepting, nurturing, and tolerant
I'm an atheist, but this isn't what I've seen. It's more just "let's just be contrarian to everybody but the underdog" even when the underdog is the bigger asshole. Israel has by far the most common values to even you guys, including things like LGBT rights, but still you back Palestine, who let's be real here, would happily put on a smile while they stone to death every last LGBT person on the planet.
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I think the anti-Israel stance isn't about actual values but just boils down to "America Bad" which for the "lefties" (which I would say are not your bog standard liberal/democrat) is really all you need for a worldview. If America is supporting it, they are against it because, something something "imperialism". Contrapoints had them dead-to-rights with the "they don't want power, they want to endlessly critique power".
It's why you never hear them really make a peep about Syria where like 200k civilians d
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Islam specifically condones the killing of those who blaspheme and who "oppose Allah". It also condones enslavement of non muslims. Mohammed celebrated the murder of a poet who criticized him.
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And Islam has its followers of convenience just like Christianity. I've never met a Christian who followed all their rules either.
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Now do conservatives and trans individuals.
Re: Interesting country (Score:2)
Like this?
https://youtu.be/wSar7j_1MtM [youtu.be]
Though it seems that you're more like this:
https://youtu.be/0t1OddjmpCI&t... [youtu.be]
Re:Interesting country (Score:5, Interesting)
Hate to break it to you: it has little to nothing to do with Islam there. Yes, some "moral standards" type restrictions have been imposed to get a "thumbs up" from various religious leaders, but the real reason lies elsewhere:
Pakistani leaders in their infinite wisdom decided to deploy the Chinese great firewall in Pakistan, and this "great firewall" doesn't work well with western telecom equipment and even worse with western social media platforms. China owns and controls its own social media platforms with rigid content moderation, therefore "content which could disturb the harmony" never makes it up there. This makes social media traffic very easy to filter. Pakistani population, however, mostly uses western social media platforms, who neither cooperate much with Pakistani authorities, nor are supported by the "great firewall's" content filters.
This leads to totally chaotic situations in Pakistan's IT sector, where people can no longer interact with western communication platforms or their IT employers. They can e.g. video chat, but can't upload pictures or zip files. It's a total disaster, it has gone like that for many days now, and the gov't doesn't seem to back down.
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I'd never do business in or with Pakistan...
My company employs a graphics designer in Karachi. She's a nice person, trying to earn a living and feed her family. She isn't responsible for the actions of her government.
Connections and engagement between countries lead to mutual understanding and acceptance.
Isolation leads to resentment and extremism.
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It depends on the culture. We tried "connection and engagement" with both Russia and Afghanistan. And we're not far off from seeing it fail with China.
Sometimes, they're just taking the economic benefit until they're strong enough to withstand a conflict with you.
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Do you actually know anything about her political views?
According to "respected" Pew Research, 84% of Pakistani Muslims favor making Sharia the law of the land. https://www.pewresearch.org/re... [pewresearch.org]
"Pakistanis overwhelmingly support making segregation of men and women in the workplace the law in their country (85%), and comparable percentages favor instituting harsh punishments such as stoning people who commit adultery (82%), whippings and cutting off of hands for crimes like theft and robbery (82%), and the
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Do you actually know anything about her political views?
Nope. I also don't know the political views of the guy in the next cubicle.
I don't discuss politics at work.
If I want to argue about politics, I go to Slashdot.
Pakistani views (Score:2)
According to "respected" Pew Research, 84% of Pakistani Muslims favor making Sharia the law of the land. https://www.pewresearch.org/re... [pewresearch.org]
"Pakistanis overwhelmingly support making segregation of men and women in the workplace the law in their country (85%), and comparable percentages favor instituting harsh punishments such as stoning people who commit adultery (82%), whippings and cutting off of hands for crimes like theft and robbery (82%), and the death penalty for those who leave the Muslim religion (76