TAHIR AMIN
ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has violated its mandate by spending Rs500 million of Universal Service Fund (USF) for purpose other than dedicated telecom services in the underserved and un-served areas.
The USF is being collected from private mobile phone companies at 1.5 percent of their annual revenues to bridge digital divide in the country. Under the Ministry of IT, the USF is mandated to connect far-flung un-served and under-served areas with telecom services, both 2G and 3G.
State Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rehman has repeatedly claimed that the government of Pakistan can no longer utilise the USF money for anything except for the dedicated purpose of expanding IT and telecom services in far-flung and underdeveloped areas of the country.
However, senior parliamentarian Senator Sardar Azam Khan Musakhel on Monday revealed that Rs500 million of the dedicated USF money had been spending on the construction of a stadium in Sialkot.
The sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecom met with Taj Mohammad Afridi in the chair to review progress on the USF projects. The committee directed the relevant authorities to present details of the matter in the next meeting.
The committee expressed annoyance over non-conducting of survey for provision of mobile services in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), including Mohmand Agency, Bajaur Agency and Khyber Agency.
The committee appealed to the Prime Minister for providing 3G and 4G services to the FATA, especially to Khyber Agency, and the Ministry of Interior should take the needful in this regard.
The committee convener said the government had earmarked Rs55 billion for providing telecom sector services in the FATA, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan; however, due to delaying tactics by the bureaucracy and institutions, projects are not being implemented.
The committee observed that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would benefit the whole country; however, telecom services were not even available on it.
The home Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa informed the committee that NoC for conducting survey from the FATA Secretariat was still being awaited. The NoC would be issued with the approval of XI Corps and a letter has been sent to the Corps in this regard.
The convener recommended for conducting survey in collaboration with Political Agents Bajaur, Mohmand and Khyebr Agencies.
It was also on the record that a private person using his own resources got NoC for tower, he added.
Senator Usman Khan Kakar said it was an injustice to keep 12 million people of FATA deprived of mobile services. He said funds allocated for the deprived areas of the country were being spent on parks, roads and metro buses in Punjab province.
The committee directed for providing report in 15 days with respect to conducting survey in the FATA, Mohmand and Bajaur Agency.
The USF officials informed the committee that 75 percent work on fibre optic in Balochistan province had been completed. Due to security reasons, work in some areas is being carried out with the approval of concerned AC and DC. The committee directed for providing information about areas where security issues are being faced, saying parliamentarians in collaboration with provincial administration would resolve the issues.
The Secretary IT Balochistan said that telecom services should be provided on CPEC route as it was urgently required.
Kakar said Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) instead of defending private mobile companies should take steps for the betterment of public and state.
He also recommended action against mobile companies which were not providing mobile services.