Digital Space is at Risk, Youth Must Resist the Government, Bilawal Bhutto
High-speed internet is a fundamental right for every citizen, says the Chairman of the PPP during a speech at the Sukkur IBA.
Sukkur (Web News)
Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, stated that digital space is under threat, and the youth must resist the government for high-speed internet and digital rights. While addressing students at the Sukkur IBA campus, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said, “I am proud that my mother, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, laid the foundation of this university, which has grown into a respected institution with a global reputation. It is a credible and excellent institution where students from other provinces also come to study.”
He emphasized that it is the government’s job to try and control everything, including institutions and individuals, but it is up to the youth to keep the government in check. He urged the youth to resist the government’s attempts and fight for their rights. Bilawal said, “Every generation has struggled for its rights. Democracy was not a gift to us; it was achieved through struggle. The youth have defeated the forces of oppression, using their education, their voice, and their skills, from the colonial era to the present.”
He mentioned that during the regimes of Zia-ul-Haq and General Musharraf, the digital space faced significant threats. He stressed that for Pakistan to become economically strong, technology is of utmost importance. “If Pakistan is to become a one-trillion-dollar economy, we must leave our tax sector free,” he said. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari again expressed frustration over the slow pace of the internet and criticized the lack of understanding of digital issues by government officials in Islamabad, stating, “The old men in Islamabad have no knowledge of digital matters, gaming, or digital rights. We must struggle for the Digital Rights Bill. High-speed internet is a basic right for every citizen, and we must ensure the protection of data privacy rights.”
He pointed out that those in Islamabad do not understand the importance of digital platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, or Instagram, as they neither use them nor comprehend their significance. Bilawal also praised the IBA, calling it an internationally recognized institution, and congratulated the students who received their degrees. “Education is the weapon no one can take from you,” he said, urging students to use the power of education to contribute to the country’s development.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari highlighted that the Sindh government is playing a key role in the sectors of health and education, with patients from across Pakistan coming to Sindh for treatment, and children from Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and even Sri Lanka coming to study. He said, “With better internet access, any youth, whether from Pakistan’s rural areas or anywhere in the world, can connect to the developed world. We first need to make the old men in power understand this, and then challenge them.”
He also emphasized the importance of aligning future projects with climate change. “Any project we undertake, whether it’s a road, a house, or an electricity project, must be planned with climate change in mind. After that, we will fight on the global stage,” he said. Bilawal concluded by noting that Pakistan is among the ten countries most at risk from climate change and stressed the need for global efforts to curb carbon emissions.