Saba Javed

The 820km Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) Project has enhanced digital connectivity along the CPEC route from Rawalpindi to Khunjerab, reports WealthPK. Around 18.2km portion of the cable passes through the federal capital, 466 kilometres through Gilgit-Baltistan, 280 kilometres through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and 47 kilometres through Punjab. The cable reaches Rawalpindi from Khunjerab through Karimabad, Gilgit, Chilas, Babusar Top, Naran, Mansehra and JaryKas. The objective of the project is to build a secure and continuous communication network and provide an alternative route for international connectivity across Pakistan's northern border with China. Nasir Mehmood Malik, an official at the Planning Commission, told WealthPK that digital connectivity is crucial for both economic growth and global competitiveness. ‘’As we know, creation of effective and affordable digital routes promotes regional connectedness and economic activity.

Approximately, half of our population does not have access to the internet, although adjustments are being made to meet the country's expanding domestic digital connection needs. This cable enables the extension of a variety of wavelength data services to Pakistan, reducing the issues of low bandwidth, unreliable connectivity, and slow data transfer. It is Pakistan's sixth high-speed connection, which will help handle its fast-increasing internet traffic and provide more redundancy,” Nasir Malik said. He said Huawei and Special Communication Organization (SCO) laid the Pak-China fibre cable and had already carried out successful testing. Such type of projects can bring a handsome revenue to the government coffers, he added. According to the Planning Commission official, the Pakistani ICT and telecom sectors, which include tourism, 4G, 5G, and more, have benefited from the project.

He said tourists in the Northern Areas now have access to the high-speed internet connectivity. It has also encouraged e-business and e-commerce in those areas which earlier did not have the internet facility. Nasir said the government is also planning expanding the fibre optic network from Islamabad to Karachi and Gwadar in the next phase. This extension of fibre optic network is an effort to boost economic growth, as it will connect the underdeveloped regions with more developed industrial hubs, he said. He said it is a fantastic chance for Pakistan to work with China and enhance its information and communication sector and digital connectivity. ‘’By doing this, the technological infrastructure and weak economy of Pakistan will be improved. Such initiatives also create new job opportunities for the people of the region, as well as attract foreign investment in the information sector,’’ Nasir added.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk