By Irfan Ahmed ISLAMABAD, Feb. 24 (INP-WealthPK): The Universal Service Fund (USF) is striving to improve broadband connectivity across the breadth and width of Pakistan. “Big firms, small and medium-size enterprises and freelancers are increasingly connected to each other and the rest of the world through the Internet. Internet connectivity transforms poor economies by generating employment opportunities for citizens,” said Haaris Muhammad Chaudhry, the Chief Executive Officer of USF. Talking to WealthPK, he said the fund is empowering communities with high-speed broadband connectivity to accelerate digitisation, especially in the unserved and underserved areas of Pakistan. “Since its inception, USF has launched 116 projects worth Rs98 billion, serving approximately 25 million people living in over 12,000 mauzas of the country,” he said. “USF alone completed 25 projects worth Rs23 billion in financial year 2020-21,” Haaris Chaudhry said. He added that with the laying of over 10,500 kilometres of optic fiber, a 1,929km of unserved road segment has been connected under its national highways & motorways development programme. He further said three major roads in Balochistan province, including Makran Coastal Highway, have now been fully covered with 3G technology. “The USF has given Jazz cellular company a Rs300 million contract to provide high-speed mobile broadband services on M2 and M3 motorways. The project will be complete in the next six months,” he said. He also stressed the need to develop tourism sector for the country’s socioeconomic progress. “We have already signed two contracts with Jazz worth approximately Rs2 billion to provide Internet services in important tourist destinations, including Babusar Top, Lake Saiful Malook, and Sharan Forest in Manshera district, Kumrat Valley in Upper Dir district, Mahodand Lake in Swat district, and Galiyat in Abbottabad. All these tourist destinations will have 4G facilities by the end of the current fiscal year,” he explained to WealthPK. Haaris Chaudhry said that USF is aggressively pursuing initiatives to help government boost tourism by providing fast Internet connectivity in tourist resorts, offering the visitors with unique experiences. “The provision of Internet services will also go a long way in generating incomes for locals.” [caption id="attachment_64106" align="aligncenter" width="696"] The provision of Internet services will also go a long way in generating incomes for locals[/caption]

source: USF

Regarding the USF’s role in bridging the digital divide, he said the fund is well-positioned to bridge the digital divide through speedy digitisation to help increase the effectiveness and efficiency of government and private enterprises. “Internet connectivity and Information Technology are the key enablers in the emerging dynamics of a knowledge-based society and economy.” According to Haaris Chaudhry, USF is empowering the country’s youth by enabling them to participate in a digitally inclusive economy; encouraging and promoting the use of technology in education, health, agriculture and other key socioeconomic sectors; and creating a meaningful impact on the social ecosystem in a phased manner. When asked about USF’s take on 5G rollout, Haaris Chaudhry told WealthPK that Pakistan’s telecom industry’s market size has grown to $16.9 billion after attracting $1.2 billion in foreign direct investments in the last three years. “Encouraged by this outlook, the ministry of IT and telecommunications aims to roll out 5G in 2023.” “To meet the future digitisation requirements, projects have been launched for ‘deep fiberization’ to extend the telecom services even to remote and backward areas of the country.” “With the introduction of 5G technology, Pakistan will be able to fuse technology in education, agriculture, security and healthcare sectors to offer efficient development solutions,” the USF CEO said. “In a nutshell, Pakistan is transforming towards a digital gateway, which will enable the country to provide seamless broadband coverage to people to change their lifestyles and improve their living standards,” concluded Haris Chaudhry.