- Advertisement -
ISLAMABAD, Jan 21 (APP):In a major push toward nationwide digital inclusion, the Universal Service Fund (USF) on Wednesday signed contracts worth PKR 1.16 billion with Jazz to roll out high speed broadband across nine underserved districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, aiming to connect over 533,000 rural residents within 6 to 18 months as part of the Prime Minister’s “Digital Pakistan” vision.
The signing ceremony, held at the USF Head Office in Islamabad, was attended by Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Ms Shaza Fatima Khawaja as Chief Guest.
The agreements were formally signed by USF Chief Executive Officer Chaudhry Mudassar Naveed and Jazz Chief Executive Officer Aamir Ibrahim for four Next Generation Broadband for Sustainable Development projects.
Addressing the ceremony, Ms Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the government was not merely awarding contracts but laying the digital foundation of a “Digital Nation.”
She said Pakistan is witnessing a historic surge in IT exports and international technology partnerships, adding that the government is in the final stages of spectrum auction and preparations for a 5G launch to further strengthen connectivity.
“My unwavering mission is to catalyse ICT growth across every avenue. Today, we are witnessing unprecedented momentum in the technology sector. These projects are a concrete step toward resolving long standing connectivity challenges in rural Pakistan,” the minister said.
She revealed that USF had approved projects worth over PKR 20.54 billion during the last six months alone and announced that six additional projects would soon commence in Sindh and Balochistan, further expanding the national broadband footprint.
Under the newly awarded projects, high speed broadband will be extended to Chiniot in Punjab and Abbottabad in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the main lots, while smaller lots will cover Attock, Sargodha, Khushab, Bahawalnagar, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura and Hafizabad.
The initiative will bring connectivity to 203 rural mauzas, benefiting approximately 533,000 people.
Ms Khawaja directed that execution be completed within a record timeframe of six to eighteen months, stressing that speed and transparency would remain the government’s top priorities.
Highlighting USF’s national contribution, the minister said the fund had invested a total of PKR 136.7 billion to date, including PKR 95.27 billion in 107 broadband projects that have connected 39.4 million people.
She added that USF had also spent PKR 41.43 billion on laying 19,169 kilometres of optical fiber cable and had enabled high speed connectivity across 2,585 kilometres of motorways and national highways.
Earlier, in his welcome address, USF CEO Chaudhry Mudassar Naveed said that with 61.6 per cent of Pakistan’s population living in rural areas, bridging the digital divide was a national imperative.
He added that under the Prime Minister’s “Digital Pakistan” vision and the guidance of Ms Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Chairman USF Board and Secretary IT Mr Zarrar Hasham Khan, USF had significantly accelerated its pace of execution.
“We are introducing initiatives across all four provinces without any political or regional bias. Our goal is simple: to ensure that no Pakistani is left behind in the digital era,” he said.
Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim thanked the government for its trust and said the company is proud to be awarded the four strategic projects.
“This partnership symbolizes our shared commitment to empowering underserved communities and ensuring that the benefits of technology reach the heart of rural Pakistan,” he said.
The ceremony concluded with the federal minister reaffirming that the government is moving with speed and precision to secure a brighter future for the youth through innovation and nationwide connectivity.
The event was attended by Parliamentary Secretary for MoITT Ms Sabheen Ghauri, Special Secretary MoITT Syed Ammar Naqvi, Member Telecom Jahanzeb Rahim and Brigadier (Retd) Nadir Hussain of SIFC, along with senior officials from the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication, USF, Jazz and other key stakeholders from the ICT sector.