ISLAMABAD, May 19 (NNN-APP) – Pakistan had made progress, for the provision of broadband services under the Universal Service Fund (USF), according to the country’s minister of information technology and telecommunication.
Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Syed Amin-ul-Haque, said yesterday that, over 37 projects worth 31 billion rupees (158 million U.S. dollars), have been launched by June, 2021, and around 50 to 75 percent of the work has been completed on most of these projects.
He said, 6.47 billion rupees had been spent on nine projects of optical fibre and broadband services, in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province, adding that, nine other projects worth over 8.48 billion rupees were underway for the provision of high-speed internet and laying of fibre optical in the southern province of Sindh.
In the country’s south-western Balochistan province, 11 projects were being carried out to facilitate 14 districts, at an estimated cost of 8.43 billion rupees, the minister said.
Over 7.08 billion rupees had been spent on eight projects of broadband services and optical fibre in 14 districts of north-west Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, he added.
The USF was established to spread the benefits of the telecom revolution, promote the development of telecommunication services, in un-served and under-served areas in the country. (1 U.S. dollar equals 195.65 rupees)– NNN-APP
