ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan has finally rolled out high-speed internet services under a massive Rs13 billion national project, marking a big step forward in bridging the digital divide.
The Ministry of IT and Telecommunication’s subsidiary, the Universal Service Fund (USF), approved nine major digital connectivity projects aimed at improving internet access across 11 districts.
According to the Secretary IT and Chairman of the USF Board, the initiative is moving ahead on the directions of Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima. He said that efforts are being fast-tracked to ensure that rural and urban communities are “on the same page” when it comes to digital facilities. These projects are expected to benefit more than 5.5 million people, while 178 towns, union councils, and 753 villages will be firmly connected to the digital world.
The chairman noted that improved internet and mobile connectivity in backward and remote regions would give a “shot in the arm” to the digital economy. He added that USF’s ongoing projects have already enabled over 39.4 million rural residents to gain access to essential connectivity services.
The newly approved projects include three fiber-optic schemes for Sialkot, Narowal, Ziarat, and Quetta, under which 1,428 kilometers of optical fiber cable will be laid. In addition, six broadband service projects were approved for Umerkot, Gujranwala, Kohat, Khuzdar, Muzaffargarh, Mansehra, and Mandi Bahauddin.
The meeting was attended by PTA Chairman Major General Hafeez-ur-Rehman, Member Telecom Jahanzeb Rahim, Muhammad Yousaf, Aaila Majid, and other senior officials. With these projects now underway, the government hopes to give millions of citizens a fair chance to participate in the digital economy. As the saying goes, “better late than never,” and stakeholders believe these initiatives will finally put underserved areas “on the map.”