The Silent Rise of Screen Addiction in Pakistan |
Dinner tables in Pakistani households were once filled with family conversations, the sound of television, and the clinking of plates. Now, a child watches cartoons on a tablet while his older sister scrolls endlessly through Instagram reels. Their mother replies to WhatsApp forwards between bites, while their father silently checks work emails on his phone. Everyone is sitting together, yet the room remains unusually quiet.
Over the past few years, screen addiction in Pakistan has evolved from being seen as a teenage problem into something much larger. This issue is quietly affecting not only youth but entire households across urban Pakistan. Smartphones, cheap internet packages, and unlimited short-form content have become part of daily life. Pakistanis are spending more time online and less time interacting with one another in real life. Studies conducted globally after COVID-19 have linked excessive screen time with sleep disruption, anxiety, and reduced attention spans among young users. What began during the COVID-19 lockdowns as a necessity for work, education, and entertainment has slowly become a lifestyle that does not seem likely to change anytime soon.
According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Pakistan crossed 190 million cellular subscribers in 2025. Internet and smartphone usage in Pakistan have continued to rise rapidly in recent years, particularly among youngsters. Apps such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Netflix now dominate everyday life, often replacing activities that once centered around conversation, family gatherings, or outdoor gatherings.
For young people, the effects of screen addiction are evident and........