Business activities in Bara tehsil of Khyber district have been severely affected by the continuous suspension of internet services for the past two weeks, with traders facing losses worth millions of rupees.

Around 10,000 shops in Bara Bazaar have been affected, disrupting sales and other business transactions. Easypaisa and other online financial services have also been suspended. Meanwhile, online classes, video lectures, and educational and research activities of students have been disrupted.

Local traders and students have urged the relevant authorities to restore internet services immediately.

Speaking to Tribal News Network (TNN), Bara Traders Association President Syed Ayaz Wazir said the suspension of internet services had severely affected business activities in Bara Bazaar and adjoining areas.

He said Bara Bazaar has around 10,000 shops, where the lack of internet connectivity has disrupted sales and other business transactions, causing traders losses worth millions of rupees.

Syed Ayaz Wazir said Easypaisa and other internet-based financial services were an important part of local businesses. Residents use these services to send and receive money and carry out daily financial transactions. However, the internet shutdown has created difficulties for shopkeepers and residents who rely on these facilities.

He added that Easypaisa and other financial services become even more important on Saturdays and Sundays, when banks and ATMs are closed in Bara Bazaar. Overseas Pakistanis also use these services to send money to their families, while people within the country rely on them for money transfers. However, the internet suspension has disrupted these transactions.

Farooq Afridi, an Easypaisa shopkeeper in Bara Bazaar, told TNN that more than 100 shops in the market were associated with Easypaisa and other online business services.

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He said the disruption of internet services over the past two weeks had slowed down business activities, creating difficulties for shopkeepers as well as customers who rely on these services.

The internet shutdown has also affected educational activities in Bara tehsil. Local students said internet access had become essential for attending online classes, watching video lectures, preparing for courses, and accessing research materials.

Female students pursuing higher education, in particular, attend online classes and participate in other educational activities from home. However, the unavailability of internet services over the past two weeks has made it difficult for them to continue their studies.

Lubna Afridi, a second-year student from the Shalobar area of Bara, told TNN that internet access was essential for preparing most of the topics in her course and accessing relevant educational materials.

The internet shutdown has severely affected her studies. According to her, dozens of female students from Bara are enrolled at her college and are also facing educational difficulties due to the lack of internet access.

Similarly, Alina Afridi, a first-year student from Bara, told Tribal News Network (TNN) that a large part of her studies depended on the internet.

Students attend online classes from home, watch video lectures, and access information and research materials on various topics. However, the suspension of internet services over the past two weeks has disrupted these activities, making it difficult for students to meet their educational needs.

It is worth mentioning that on October 11, protests were held in Bara Bazaar for three days against the federal government's imposition of governor's rule and an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Violent incidents were also reported at some locations during the demonstrations.

Following the situation, mobile network and internet services were suspended. However, local traders and students say the services have yet to be fully restored.

Local traders and students have urged the relevant authorities to restore internet services immediately.

They said that while taking the law and order situation into account, the authorities should also consider people's daily needs, business activities, and the educational future of students. They called for immediate measures to ensure the complete restoration of internet services in Bara and other affected areas.