ISLAMABAD: Federal Secretary Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui chaired 68th Board of Directors meeting of Universal Service Fund Company here on Wednesday.
The Board approved award of contracts to Telenor and PMCL (Jazz) worth Rs680 million for Kurram and Sanghar lots, says a press release. The PMCL (Jazz) is being awarded the contract of Kurram Lot while Telenor is being awarded the contract of Sanghar Lot under Next Generation Broadband for Sustainable Development (NG-BSD) Programme. This is part of the inclusive approach of the government and to strengthen the pillar of connectivity under ‘Digital Pakistan’.
During the meeting, chairman USF Board and secretary IT were apprised about the progress of USF projects. The Hi-speed broadband services in Kurram Lot will benefit an unserved population of approximately 400,000 thereby covering 200 unserved muazas and an approximate unserved area of 2,900 sq km Kurram Lot encompasses Frontier Region Kurram, Lower Kurram and Upper Kurram tehsils.
Similarly, an unserved population of approximately 1.4 million will gain advantage from Hi-speed Broadband services in Sanghar Lot. The lot consists of Sanghar and Umerkot districts with an approximate unserved area of 12,000 sq km and 500 unserved mauzas.
Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui emphasised on connecting the people of Pakistan who did not have access to latest ICT facilities. He also said these projects will bring the people of Kurram and Sanghar at par with the wider society and helpful in solving the problems of illiteracy, poverty and unemployment.
Furthermore, the Federal Secretary welcomed Prime Minister’s most recent expression of support for the continued and ongoing work of Digital Pakistan. Projects for hi-speed broadband in Kurram and Sanghar approved