ISLAMABAD: The telecommunication industry attracted foreign direct investment of $6.1 billion during July 1, 2018, to March 30, 2022, said Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Syed Aminul Haque.
On the occasion of “World Telecommunication and Information Society Day”, the Federal Minister for IT said that the number of active mobile SIMs reached 193 million by March 2022 due to reforms in the telecom sector, and mobile and fixed Broadband consumers’ numbers saw 39.4 percent increase, he said.
He said that revolutionary steps had been taken in the information technology and telecommunication sector in the last three years in Pakistan.
The number of active mobile SIMs reached 193 million by March 2022 due to reforms in the telecom sector, and mobile and fixed Broadband consumers’ number saw 39.4 percent increase, he said.
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The IT minister said that projects were started through Universal Service Fund (USF), the attached department of the Ministry of IT and Telecom, for the provision of broadband services across the country. Over 37 projects of worth Rs31 billion were launched by June 2021 and upto 50 to 75 percent work had been completed on most of these projects, he added.
The federal minister said that Rs6.47 billion were being spent on nine different projects of optical fibre and broadband services in Punjab, and nine projects of worth over Rs8.48 billion were also under way in Sindh for the provision of high-speed internet and laying of the fibre optical in the province.
The number of projects for the 14 districts of Balochistan is 11 costing Rs8.43 billion. Over 7.08 billion rupees were being spent on eight different projects of broadband services and optical fibre in 14 districts of KPK, he noted.
Haque said Rs29 billion were also being spent on 28 projects for the provision of broadband services in far-flung areas during current financial year.
Work was also going on nine different projects for laying of fibre optic cable in all four provinces. Total of 4,746 kilometres long cable was being laid which would cost Rs13.14 billion, he said.
He said the USF completed projects for the provision of a mobile network on 1,929 kilometres of main highways.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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