E-Services in Pakistan: a game changer outset.

Byline: Asad Mughal

In last few years people have seen many e-services startups in Pakistan which gradually changing the lifestyle of the masses. Few years back when internet got hype in Pakistan people were not aware as much because the lack of education and the information about the technicalities of the devices was a big challenge.

In 2000, when the mobile telecommunication took place in Pakistan everything was changed rapidly. In start Paktel, Mobilink and Ufone started their service in Pakistan and in the beginning call rates very high and the service was not good. I remember that 1 minute call rate from Pakistan to USA was $5 on landline.

Few years later some other companies like Telenor and Warid also entered in the race of telecommunication. Zong was also an addition and it started its operations after acquiring the Paktel. Initially PTCL and other cable network operators were providing internet, and later telecom companies also started their mobile internet services in Pakistan in 2001. But the users were just 1.3 million in starting years and the growth rate was very slow because GPS supported mobiles were much expensive and by the end of 2006 the growth rate of internet users was 6.5% and till 2012 it was 10.0%. While, in October 2018 the growth rate increased up to 29.92%.

There were various reasons behind exceptional growth of internet users like diminution in the rates of internet, availability of internet supported mobile phones on cheap rates, availability of high speed internet and rapid increase in the reach of internet.

In 2018, Pakistan had 44.6 million internet users and 35 million social media users. It was a tremendous growth in just few years. Internet made everything easy for the users and opened the gates towards information and new technologies. Many organizations including public sector upgraded their system on internet and made everything digitally available. I saw that how things shifted from manual system to internet and then upgraded everything rapidly.

International companies started their services in Pakistan and educated the users about the operation procedure. People have seen the entry of online shopping in Pakistan and new startup like Daraz.pk and Yayvo.com. People have seen the online taxi and bike services like Uber, Careem, and BYKEA. People have seen the online food services and...