Social media firewall blocks govt’s $1tr goal

Some of the goals of the Pakistan’s recently finalised five-year economic plan to increase the economy’s size to $1 trillion cannot be achieved until the newly erected social media firewall is dismantled.

The recent plan also aimed to enhance the low literacy rate to 70 per cent and cut poverty incidence by 13 per cent over the next five years.

The document has been drafted by the Planning Ministry that will be formally unveiled by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The 5Es National Economic Transformation Plan (2024-29) has been prepared following the UK-based professor Stefan Dercon’s “home-grown” economic plan failed to impress many. Some in the prime minister’s office, however, are lobbying to have both documents launched simultaneously, as significant time and resources were invested in promoting Dercon’s plan.

The prime minister had engaged the British economist to prepare the economic plan. The PML-N-led government has invested Rs39 billion to erect a social media firewall with the view to minimise the impact of anti-government propaganda. However, the measure has slowed the country’s progress in information technology. Until this firewall is removed, achieving some of the critical goals will remain difficult.