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СпутникиРНSpaceXРоскосмосNASAAs 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 grow, the dissimilarities are still further caused by infrastructure unavailability, poor economy, and low digital literacy (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority [PTA], 2023). Occurrences such as that of COVID-19 and the series of economic crises have worsened these inequalities and have contributed to them.
We are living in the era of development where the mass media does not serve as a luxury, but it serves as a necessity. Every individual requires access to the mass media to stay with the trend and to fulfill their needs through use of technology.
The digital divide in Pakistan directly affects education, employment opportunities, healthcare access, and public services. With a significant portion of the population lacking access to the internet or digital tools, this divide widens existing social and economic inequalities.
Pakistan has stark differences in digital access between urban and rural areas. Exploring this divide helps highlight the systemic barriers faced by rural populations, such as lack of infrastructure, affordability issues, and limited digital literacy. The country has a large youth population. The digital divide limits their potential, especially in remote learning and skill development.
In today’s digital economy, connectivity and digital literacy are essential for entrepreneurship, job creation, and innovation. Addressing the digital divide can boost economic growth and enable Pakistan to better compete globally. Government efforts like “Digital Pakistan” show commitment, but gaps remain.
Pakistan has made progress in expanding internet access, with over 123 million broadband subscribers as of 2023 (PTA, 2023). However, only about 36% of the population has internet access, with rural areas significantly lagging behind urban centers (International Telecommunication Union [ITU], 2022).
The digital divide is influenced by several factors:
• Infrastructure gaps – Many rural and remote areas lack reliable internet connectivity due to insufficient telecom infrastructure.
• Economic barriers – High costs of devices and data plans prevent low-income populations from going online.
• Gender disparities – Women are 49% less likely to use mobile internet than men due to cultural and economic restrictions.
• Digital literacy – A significant portion of the population lacks the skills to effectively use digital tools.
Economic barriers
Yes, digital economy generates new avenues of work; however, many Pakistanis are not able to seize them due to the digital divide. Freelancing and remote work have developed impressively over the last few years, and Pakistan happens to be one of the top freelancing countries worldwide. However, these opportunities are targeted towards urban, educated, and digitally literate fellows only. According to a report published by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (2023), only 12% of rural workers are able to engage in digital employment as against 41% in cities. Such inequality prevents rural people from achieving upward mobility, thus perpetuating income inequality.
Healthcare access challenges
Telemedicine emerged as a crucial healthcare solution, especially post-pandemic. However, rural areas with poor internet connectivity struggle to access these services. A 2023 report by the World Health Organization (WHO) noted that only 18% of rural clinics in Pakistan have stable internet for teleconsultations, compared to 72% in urban hospitals.
This digital gap means rural patients often miss timely medical advice, exacerbating health disparities. The dengue outbreak in 2023 demonstrated how limited digital health access delayed disease tracking and treatment in remote regions.
Government and policy responses
The Pakistani government initiated digital initiatives to fill the digital gap such as:
•Digital Policy of Pakistan (2021) – With an eye on expanding broadband access and digital literacy (Ministry of IT & Telecom, 2021). The Digital Pakistan Policy (2021) is basically the government’s game plan to drag the whole country into the fast lane of the digital world. The main goals? Expand broadband access. Meaning, improving internet coverage all over the country, so even super remote areas or very small-town-type places can have fast, reliable internet. No more endless buffering circles! Boost digital literacy. It’s not just about having the internet; it’s about knowing how to use it.
The policy pushes for programmes teaching people (with a focus on youngsters and women) how to safely and smartly use digital tools such as smartphones, computers, and online services. The overall vibe: Pakistan wants to be more competitive at a global stage, create jobs, improve education, healthcare, and government services through technology. Think of it as Pakistan’s glow-up plan for the digital age.
• Universal Service Fund (USF) – USF is basically a government-backed money pot that has been managed by the PTA for the purpose of ensuring that even the most remote and bush regions of Pakistan are not digitally dark. Basically, the telecom companies always earn in urban centers since their all clients are there (more clients mean more profit). But when it comes to rural or underserved areas? Nah! So, the USF comes into action, funding projects in the region to set up mobile towers, broadband networks, and fiber-optic cabling.
This ensures everybody, anywhere, has access to communication services – internet, mobile signals, you name it. The importance of this work: Without USF, rural areas would be largely stuck in the stone-age of connectivity while cities move in full throttle. It’s with USF that they want to lessen the digital divide and try to improve education, health, and even job opportunities in these underserved pockets.
• Benazir Support Programme (formerly Ehsaas Programme) – It provides subsidised smartphones to low-income families. The Ehsaas Programme is a major social welfare initiative by the Government of Pakistan, and one part of it focuses on giving subsidised smartphones to low-income families. Why? Well, in today’s world, a smartphone isn’t just for TikTok or Instagram, it’s a lifeline. It connects people to education, healthcare info, job opportunities, government services, and even mobile banking.
But for many poor families, smartphones are just too expensive. So, under this policy, the government steps in and helps cover part of the cost, making smartphones way more affordable for families who otherwise couldn’t buy them. It’s like giving people the keys to the digital world to help them stay informed, earn income, and improve their quality of life.
Despite these efforts, implementation remains slow due to bureaucratic inefficiencies and funding constraints.
Recommendations
The digital divide in Pakistan constitutes a barrier for educational, employment, and health opportunities, especially hurting those living in rural, low-income, and female-marginalised communities. Recent crises have brought these inequities into sharper focus. While government efforts constitute a start, greater enforcement of policies, infrastructure investment, and digital literacy programmes are needed to attain equitable access.
The government should integrate information and communication technology education from early schooling stages, launch community centers and mobile learning units to train adults in using digital tools, and empower educators and influencers in communities to act as digital ambassadors.
Meanwhile, it can also prioritise broadband rollout in underserved rural and remote areas via public-private partnerships, offer government incentives to telecom companies to extend networks to low-return areas, invest in satellite internet and 4G/5G wireless networks to reach geographically difficult regions, and work with ISPs to offer low-cost internet packages to students and low-income families.
Implementing schemes like providing low-cost or refurbished devices through public sector support or NGO partnerships, collaborations with telecoms, startups, and NGOs to fund and execute digital inclusion programs, and incentivising companies to invest in community tech centers, device donations, and training programmes can also help in the cause.
The article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Business Recorder or its owners.
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 grow, the dissimilarities are still further caused by infrastructure unavailability, poor economy, and low digital literacy (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority [PTA], 2023). Occurrences such as that of COVID-19 and the series of economic crises have worsened these inequalities and have contributed to them.
We are living in the era of development where the mass media does not serve as a luxury, but it serves as a necessity. Every individual requires access to the mass media to stay with the trend and to fulfill their needs through use of technology.
The digital divide in Pakistan directly affects education, employment opportunities, healthcare access, and public services. With a significant portion of the population lacking access to the internet or digital tools, this divide widens existing social and economic inequalities.
Pakistan has stark differences in digital access between urban and rural areas. Exploring this divide helps highlight the systemic barriers faced by rural populations, such as lack of infrastructure, affordability issues, and limited digital literacy. The country has a large youth population. The digital divide limits their potential, especially in remote learning and skill development.
In today’s digital economy, connectivity and digital literacy are essential for entrepreneurship, job creation, and innovation. Addressing the digital divide can boost economic growth and enable Pakistan to better compete globally. Government efforts like “Digital Pakistan” show commitment, but gaps remain.
Pakistan has made progress in expanding internet access, with over 123 million broadband subscribers as of 2023 (PTA, 2023). However, only about 36% of the population has internet access, with rural areas significantly lagging behind urban centers (International Telecommunication Union [ITU], 2022).
The digital divide is influenced by several factors:
• Infrastructure gaps – Many rural and remote areas lack reliable internet connectivity due to insufficient telecom infrastructure.
• Economic barriers – High costs of devices and data plans prevent low-income populations from going online.
• Gender disparities – Women are 49% less likely to use mobile internet than men due to cultural and economic restrictions.
• Digital literacy – A significant portion of the population lacks the skills to effectively use digital tools.
Economic barriers
Yes, digital economy generates new avenues of work; however, many Pakistanis are not able to seize them due to the digital divide. Freelancing and remote work have developed impressively over the last few years, and Pakistan happens to be one of the top freelancing countries worldwide. However, these opportunities are targeted towards urban, educated, and digitally literate fellows only. According to a report published by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (2023), only 12% of rural workers are able to engage in digital employment as against 41% in cities. Such inequality prevents rural people from achieving upward mobility, thus perpetuating income inequality.
Healthcare access challenges
Telemedicine emerged as a crucial healthcare solution, especially post-pandemic. However, rural areas with poor internet connectivity struggle to access these services. A 2023 report by the World Health Organization (WHO) noted that only 18% of rural clinics in Pakistan have stable internet for teleconsultations, compared to 72% in urban hospitals.
This digital gap means rural patients often miss timely medical advice, exacerbating health disparities. The dengue outbreak in 2023 demonstrated how limited digital health access delayed disease tracking and treatment in remote regions.
Government and policy responsesThe Pakistani government initiated digital initiatives to fill the digital gap such as:
•Digital Policy of Pakistan (2021) – With an eye on expanding broadband access and digital literacy (Ministry of IT & Telecom, 2021). The Digital Pakistan Policy (2021) is basically the government’s game plan to drag the whole country into the fast lane of the digital world. The main goals? Expand broadband access. Meaning, improving internet coverage all over the country, so even super remote areas or very small-town-type places can have fast, reliable internet. No more endless buffering circles! Boost digital literacy. It’s not just about having the internet; it’s about knowing how to use it.
The policy pushes for programmes teaching people (with a focus on youngsters and women) how to safely and smartly use digital tools such as smartphones, computers, and online services. The overall vibe: Pakistan wants to be more competitive at a global stage, create jobs, improve education, healthcare, and government services through technology. Think of it as Pakistan’s glow-up plan for the digital age.
• Universal Service Fund (USF) – USF is basically a government-backed money pot that has been managed by the PTA for the purpose of ensuring that even the most remote and bush regions of Pakistan are not digitally dark. Basically, the telecom companies always earn in urban centers since their all clients are there (more clients mean more profit). But when it comes to rural or underserved areas? Nah! So, the USF comes into action, funding projects in the region to set up mobile towers, broadband networks, and fiber-optic cabling.
This ensures everybody, anywhere, has access to communication services – internet, mobile signals, you name it. The importance of this work: Without USF, rural areas would be largely stuck in the stone-age of connectivity while cities move in full throttle. It’s with USF that they want to lessen the digital divide and try to improve education, health, and even job opportunities in these underserved pockets.
• Benazir Support Programme (formerly Ehsaas Programme) – It provides subsidised smartphones to low-income families. The Ehsaas Programme is a major social welfare initiative by the Government of Pakistan, and one part of it focuses on giving subsidised smartphones to low-income families. Why? Well, in today’s world, a smartphone isn’t just for TikTok or Instagram, it’s a lifeline. It connects people to education, healthcare info, job opportunities, government services, and even mobile banking.
But for many poor families, smartphones are just too expensive. So, under this policy, the government steps in and helps cover part of the cost, making smartphones way more affordable for families who otherwise couldn’t buy them. It’s like giving people the keys to the digital world to help them stay informed, earn income, and improve their quality of life.
Despite these efforts, implementation remains slow due to bureaucratic inefficiencies and funding constraints.
Recommendations
The digital divide in Pakistan constitutes a barrier for educational, employment, and health opportunities, especially hurting those living in rural, low-income, and female-marginalised communities. Recent crises have brought these inequities into sharper focus. While government efforts constitute a start, greater enforcement of policies, infrastructure investment, and digital literacy programmes are needed to attain equitable access.
The government should integrate information and communication technology education from early schooling stages, launch community centers and mobile learning units to train adults in using digital tools, and empower educators and influencers in communities to act as digital ambassadors.
Meanwhile, it can also prioritise broadband rollout in underserved rural and remote areas via public-private partnerships, offer government incentives to telecom companies to extend networks to low-return areas, invest in satellite internet and 4G/5G wireless networks to reach geographically difficult regions, and work with ISPs to offer low-cost internet packages to students and low-income families.
Implementing schemes like providing low-cost or refurbished devices through public sector support or NGO partnerships, collaborations with telecoms, startups, and NGOs to fund and execute digital inclusion programs, and incentivising companies to invest in community tech centers, device donations, and training programmes can also help in the cause.
The article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Business Recorder or its owners.
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