Pakistan makes progress on broadband service-related projects: minister

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan had made progress in the provision of broadband services under the Universal Service Fund (USF), according to the minister of information technology and telecommunication.

Syed Amin-ul-Haque said that over 37 projects worth Rs31 billion 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 Rs6.47 billion had been spent on nine projects of optical fibre and broadband services in Punjab, adding that nine other projects worth over Rs8.48 billion were underway for the provision of high-speed internet and laying of fibre optical in Sindh.

In Balochistan, 11 projects were being carried out to facilitate 14 districts at an estimated cost of Rs8.43 billion, the minister said.

Over Rs7.08 billion had been spent on eight projects of broadband services and optical fibre in 14 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he added.

The USF was established to spread the benefits of the telecom revolution, and promote the development of telecommunication services in un-served and under-served areas in the country.

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