In an important meeting of the Board of Directors of the Universal Service Fund (USF), which operates under the Federal Ministry of Information and Telecommunication, nine major projects for high-speed internet, voice communication, and fiber-optic cable have been approved for 11 districts across the country.
According to the Secretary IT and Chairman of the Board, Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima has instructed that efforts to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas be accelerated.
The total value of these projects exceeds Rs. 13 billion, and they will benefit more than 5.5 million people. These initiatives will connect residents of 178 towns, union councils, and 753 villages across the 11 districts to the digital world.
The USF Chairman stated that internet and mobile connectivity in rural and underdeveloped areas will help boost the digital economy. Ongoing USF projects have already provided connectivity services to nearly 39.4 million people.
Under the new plan, in Sialkot, Narowal, Ziarat, and Quetta, three projects will lay 1,428 kilometers of fiber-optic cable.
Six new broadband projects have been approved for Umerkot, Gujranwala, Kohat, Khuzdar, Muzaffargarh, Mansehra, and Mandi Bahauddin to expand internet services in these regions.
The meeting was also attended by PTA Chairman Major General Hafeez-ur-Rehman, Member Telecom Jahanzeb Rahim, Muhammad Yousuf, and Aaila Majid.
