Providing mobile and high-speed internet services in the areas of Tharparkar and Gwadar has been the main focus of two new initiatives initiated by the federal ministry of information technology and telecommunications, Syed Amin Ul Haque said.
According to the sources, the Universal Service Fund (USF) Board approved the Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunications appeal to grant Telenor and Ufone two contracts amounting to around Rs 1.06 billion for the unserved and underserved people in the provinces of Balochistan and Sindh.
Haque said in a statement, We own the urban and rural parts of Sindh and continually roll out Broadband, OFC, and other connectivity initiatives for these areas without any prejudice.
He added that over 72,000 people of different unserved villages spread over an area of 10,432 sq. km will have access to mobile and internet services thanks to a project for the Tharparkar district that is costing more than Rs. 870 million and be completed in 18 months.
According to the IT minister, a broadband project for more than 15,000 people in 19 villages of Gwadar, Balochistan, totaling Rs 188.1 million has also been authorized.
He was of the view that the completion of these projects will allow Baloch and Sindh people who live in unserved, underserved, and rural areas to “not only connect with the digital world but also find convenience” in their daily activities, businesses, and other needs.
Moreover, the Federal Minister for IT commended the USF Board of Directors, its Chairman Additional Secretary MOITT Mohsin Mushtaq Chandna, and CEO Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary for starting these initiatives.
He stated that the USF’s success has been recognized internationally as a result of initiatives to bring broadband services to underserved and unserved areas of the country via the USF’s expanding Connectivity Network.
In this regard, GSMA Asia Pacific and ITU have praised USF’s organizational structure and project process, he continued.