IS PAKISTANI ‘AWAM’ STUPID OR JUST UNAWARE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THEM?
This question has been on my mind for a while. I think the Awam is not stupid but just kept in the dark and ‘un-informed by design’ aka ‘manufactured dumbing-down’. Let’s take an example of Rural Pakistan’s Internet Service. Ok, most people don’t know that almost ALL Internet providers are Foreign companies – Telenor, Warid, MobilLink, Zong etc. Furthermore, most people also are unaware that almost ALL of Pakistan’s Electromagnetic Spectrum space has been sold to these companies practically for peanuts. Why is that? Well, there can be only two reasons.
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.. The First is that the officials auctioning off the spectrum did not know technology and its value and hence did not know the real price of a spectrum.
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.. The Second reason could be that selling the spectrum was an easy way to get money into the pockets of the corrupt under the pretext that Pakistan needs foreign exchange to meet urgent payments – a means to quickly launch ‘fake auctions’.
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Under both circumstances, the ‘Rural’ Awam’ has been cheated (urban Awam too but they at least have Internet access). Not just the current generation but also our future generations as well. Keeping the rural folks in the dark – literally – is creating a disastrous ‘Digital Divide’ which further widening the ‘chasm between haves and have-nots’. It was bad enough before the arrival of the knowledge and information superhighway in the world, but now it has gotten worse as the Internet-enabled people have enormous advantages over Internet-deprived people (The discussion of these advantages is a separate topic so I won’t indulge in that). It was bad enough that Rural Pakistan did not have roads, schools, colleges, hospitals and sanitation but depriving them of the tools to learn on their own and improve their lives and infrastructures is no short of a crime. Keeping them ‘dark’ in an ‘enlightened’ world is cruel, unkind and pure criminal.
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Do Pakistani’s know that a large portion of their income goes towards enhancing the lives of foreigners who own Petroleum resources and now our Wireless Spectrum as well – the two most valuable assets of our age? Does the Awam know that when they make a phone call or use the Internet, almost 80% of the money goes to Telenor, Warid, Zong, Mobilink etc. – are ALL Foreign companies? Do Pakistani’s know that the reason we have poor Internet service and wireless telephone service is because these foreign entities want to squeeze every last penny from a Cell-Tower investment by ‘over-subscribing’ the services way beyond capacity? Many Cell-Towers have 10 times more subscribers than the recommended capacity. That is why Internet connection and Cell calls drop so frequently are such poor quality. Do our people know that these companies are NOT interested in educating and enhancing Pakistani Awam’s life. They are here just to make easy money? The irony is that many Cell-Towers don’t even have a UPS (Backup power supply) so when Load-Shedding occurs, everything dies. Students can’t connect to the Internet. Businesses can’t transact. People can’t do anything except wait for the power to come back again.
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There are several solutions to this problem but who cares. Our Mainstream Media and ‘Paid Lifafa Anchors’ are too busy defending and justifying the crimes of Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Mariam Nawaz, Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto, Maulana Diesel, etc. They are too busy blaming Imran Khan and PTI for the economy, the price of tomatoes, wheat and petrol while ignoring the reasons behind the problems and discussing meaningful solutions.
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Well, I thought I could toss a few ideas to help solve our digital divide problem – which hopefully could lead to finding solutions for other problems by our creative ‘Awam’ if that ‘Awam’ is enlightened. I suggest that Pakistan’s Rulers should open up Pakistan’s ‘Free Space’ spectrum to Pakistani entrepreneurs who I am certain will come up with novel ideas to connect all our villages and small towns to the Internet – and that too at speeds and quality better than the foreign providers. Technologies such as Free-Space and Roof-top communications, Microwave Mesh Networks and so many other options are available to create top-quality digital connectivity. Good quality Internet will enrich the lives of our citizens – without giving a penny to foreign companies. In fact, I am sure when this option opens up, the foreign companies will get a kick on their behind and they will either shape up or ship out. So folks, let us communicate and inform others (especially the gate-keepers of our children’s destiny – i.e. our leadership and bureaucrats) of the options and steps that MUST be taken immediately to bridge the Digital Divide NOW before it is too late.
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I can assure you of one thing for sure - that Zong, Warid, Telenor, Mobilink etc. are not interested in our children’s future. Our Dumb, Stupid and imbecile past leaders and bureaucrats have handed over the ropes of our destiny to these handful of foreign companies who are keeping our ‘Ill-informed Awam’ busy buying and scratching pre-paid subscription cards all day just to obtain the privilege to access third rate services – and this practice will continue as long as no one complains.
