- We continuously rolling out broadband projects without any urban-rural differentiation: Syed Amin Ul Haque
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Syed Amin Ul Haque has said that we own the urban and rural areas of Sindh and continuously rolling out Broadband, OFC and other connectivity projects for these areas without any discrimination.
A project worth more than Rs 870 million has been approved for providing mobile and high-speed internet services in Tharparkar district.
This project, which will be completed in 18 months, will provide mobile and broadband facilities to more than 72 thousand residents of various un-served villages spread over an area of 10,432 Sq. km.
In an official statement, Syed Amin Ul Haque said broadband project has also been approved costing Rs 188.1 million for more than 15 thousand people in 19 villages of Gwadar, Balochistan.
The IT Minister said that the completion of these projects will provide an opportunity to the residents of un-served, under-served and remote areas of Balochistan and Sindh not only to connect with the digital world even, they will be able to find convenience in their daily routines, their business and other life needs with this connectivity.
The Federal Minister for IT congratulated the USF Board of Directors, its Chairman Additional Secretary MOITT Mohsin Mushtaq Chandna and CEO Mr. Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary for launching these projects.
Syed Amin Ul Haque said that with the projects of providing broadband services in the un-served, under-served areas of the country under USF expanding Connectivity Network, the performance of the USF is being appreciated globally. GSMA Asia Pacific and ITU have praised USF’s structure and project methodology in this regard, he added.
It is worth mentioning here that on the directive of Minister IT & Telecom the Universal Service Fund (USF) Board approved award of two contracts worth Rs approximately 1.06 billion to Telenor and Ufone for the un-served and under-served communities of Balochistan and Sindh provinces here on Friday.
The Chief Executive Officer of USF Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary briefed Board members about the progress of the current projects and said, “These projects will empower around 87,266 people living in 79 muazas of Tharparkar district in Sindh and Gwadar district in Balochistan.
The Board meeting was attended by the Chairman PTA Major General (retd) Amir Azeem Bajwa, the Member Telecom Muhamad Omar Malik, the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication Kaukab Iqbal, the Chairman-Consumer Association of Pakistan Imran Akhtar Shah, the VP Super Net Pvt Ltd and Senior Management of USF.
