By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: The Board of Directors of Universal Service Fund (USF) has approved seven transformative projects worth Rs7.49 billion to provide high-speed internet and seamless mobile connectivity to 0.96 million residents in 347 mauzas across 10 districts.
The initiatives also included two Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) projects to enable high-speed fixed broadband services for 2.8 million residents in two districts.
While sharing the information, the official of the USF said, this ambitious endeavour involves laying 940 km of OFC and connecting 113 towns and union councils, effectively bridging the digital divide and empowering remote communities nationwide.
The USF Board of Directors’ 98th meeting was chaired by Zarar Hasham Khan, Secretary, Ministry of IT & Telecommunication (MoIT&T) at USF’s Head Office here Sunday.
The attendees included Member Telecom Mr. M. Jahanzeb Rahim, Muhammad Yousuf and CEO Universal Service Fund Chaudhry Mudassar Naveed, while Ms. Ayla Majid joined the meeting through video link.
Addressing the meeting, Zarar Hasham Khan, Chairman of the Board, said that under the leadership of Federal Minister for IT & Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja, the USF is revolutionising the digital landscape of Pakistan.
“Not only we are launching new projects, but we’re also ensuring the timely completion of our ongoing initiatives, strictly adhering to our targets.”
Chairman of the Board added that USF’s transformative projects have empowered over 37 million people, bridging the digital divide and unlocking opportunities for talented youth and women from remote areas to thrive as freelancers and start-ups.
This monumental achievement underscores USF’s pivotal role in catapulting Pakistan’s IT industry to new heights and significantly boosting IT exports, thereby cementing the nation’s position as a burgeoning tech hub.
Chief Executive USF, Chaudhry Mudassar Naveed, briefed the meeting on ongoing, completed, and upcoming projects.
The Board appreciated USF’s contributions to spreading connectivity in far-flung areas, noting that its projects not only provide digital connectivity but also significantly support the development of Pakistan’s IT and telecom sector, particularly by enhancing input connectivity in rural and remote areas, which has a substantial impact.
According to the details of a landmark decision, the USF Board approved the award of seven transformative projects to the lowest bidder after fulfilling the due process, ushering in a new era of digital connectivity in Pakistan. Notably, two visionary optical fibre cable (OFC) projects, spanning 940 km in two districts at a value of over Rs. 5.65 billion.
These projects will revolutionise digital services in Sanghar and Jhang districts, enabling approximately 2.8 million residents to connect. The Sanghar project will lay 415 km of optical fibre cable, while the Jhang project will cover 525 km.
Upon completion, these projects will empower the residents of 113 towns and union councils with high-speed internt, effectively bridging the digital divide and unlocking opportunities for local communities to thrive in the digital world.
In a separate but equally significant move, five broadband services projects, valued at over Rs 1.83 billion, were awarded to another lowest bidder after fulfilling stringent tender requirements.
These projects will bring 4G services to over 0.965 million residents in 347 unserved and underserved areas across 10 districts, including Attock, Khushab, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Hafizabad, Sheikhupura, Chiniot, Badin, and Abbottabad. This initiative will bridge the digital divide, foster economic growth, and empower communities with access to high-speed internet.
