PM wants youth to get easy, inexpensive access to internet

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday directed that related issues be taken up in the Economic Co-ordination Committee and decisions be taken in two weeks to provide easy internet access to the youth, provide cheap packages and address issues related to the telecom sector.

To this effect, he chaired a high-level meeting to ensure wider and better internet coverage in the country and to consider issues related to the telecom sector. The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Shafqat Mahmood, Muhammad Hammad Azhar, Aminul Haq, Asad Umar, Finance Advisor Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Special Assistant Tania Idris, Secretary Information Technology Division, Chairman PTA, CEO Universal Service Fund and other officials.

The meeting discussed ways to ensure wider and better coverage of the internet in the country and address issues related to the telecom sector. And, it also discussed in detail the steps taken to provide easy internet access to students and affordable packages.

Moreover, various Universal Service Fund (USF) projects to ensure mobile and internet coverage in the backward areas of the country were also discussed.

The prime minister appreciated the steps taken for the promotion of education through the provision of education through tele-schooling and internet and said that in order to harness the potential of the youth, it was necessary to facilitate their access to education.

He prime minister appreciated the various initiatives taken by the USF to expand mobile and internet coverage, especially in remote and backward areas, and directed that priority sectors such as education be included in the USF’s purview. All necessary steps should be expedited.