Thread by @imranhunzai

This is going to be a long thread, please bear with me.

The first time I was introduced to the internet was in 2004 when #KADO started an internet cafe in #Hunza, charged Rs. 10 per hour to surf the web. It worked like a miracle.

#Internet4GilgitBaltistan #GilgitBaltistan

Little did we know about this tech, an even bigger concern was electricity, still a pressing issue across #GilgitBaltistan. The UPS batteries and backup generators weren't enough so we waited for hours just to log in to the sweet Yahoo! Mail account.

#Internet4GilgitBaltistan

A year later, went to Gilgit and found out the internet was quite slow compared to Hunza. It was totally the contrary to what I have been expecting. Another year later went to Abbottabad for further studies and the charm of a faster internet was back.

#Internet4GilgitBaltistan

2 more years later moved to #Islamabad to find out a whole new world of DSL. In Abbottabad, we used the dialup connections but DSL was revolutionary! At least we got rid of those beeping modem sounds. The same year got into freelancing as well.

#Internet4GilgitBaltistan

Going back home unable to find a stable internet connection was affecting my freelance work. Couldn't meet deadlines while I was there. It didn't work out. Started a venture to get offline tasks instead and remove the deadlines barrier to some extent.

#Internet4GilgitBaltistan

Launched our first product for #GilgitBaltistan in 2016 only to find out an even worse state of the internet. Turns out, you cannot operate a private internet facility like KADO used to do. It was #SCOM all over. Dropped cloud features in the product!

#Internet4GilgitBaltistan

Had the opportunity to train and work with a number of talented young people from #GilgitBaltistan who have brilliant ideas that can boost the digital ecosystem. Sadly most of them who work locally have the same complaint: The Internet sucks!

#Internet4GilgitBaltistan

That's enough already! Hundreds and thousands of students, teachers, freelancers, entrepreneurs, bloggers & digital workforce folks like myself are suffering the poor state of the military-run #SCOM which is nothing more than a money looting enterprise.

#Internet4GilgitBaltistan

Sadly the damage is too big to have a single solution. Over the past many decades, a single monopoly has left no space for private enterprises to prosper in this sector. The government needs to realize the potential and intervene with drastic measures.

#Internet4GilgitBaltistan

Political voices can help raise the issue at a national level while campaigns like #Internet4GilgitBaltistan can take this basic #humanrights issue to an international stage.

The demand is simple: #GilgitBaltistan needs access to the internet!

Is it too much to ask in 2020?