Staff Reporter Islamabad
The Universal Service Fund (USF) awarded contract worth approximately PKR 1.36 billion to Telenor for providing high-speed mobile broadband 4G services in Chaghi and Nushki districts of Balochistan province.
Federal Minister for Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunication, Syed Amin Ul Haque and Chairman Senate, Sadiq Sanjrani witnessed the contract signing ceremony held at the USF Office on Wednesday.
The contract was signed by Haris Mahmood Chaudhary, CEO of USF with Irfan Wahab Khan, CEO of Telenor Pakistan.
The Senator, Naseebullah Bazai, Federal Secretary for IT & Telecommunication and Chairman USF Board, Dr. Muhammad Sohail Rajput, Chairman PTA, Major General (R) Amir Azeem Bajwa, Member Telecom, Muhammad Omar Malik and VP for Government Sales, Super Net Limited, Imran Akhtar Shah were also present at the ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, Syed Amin Ul Haque, Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication said, “The Digital Pakistan vision is all about bringing Pakistan closer together, ensuring that all parts of the country benefit from securing the jobs and opportunities of the future.
People in Balochistan should not have to choose between their career and the way of life in their hometown.
With high-speed broadband, we can ensure that people in Chaghi and Nushki districts are able to take advantage of the opportunities that are presented by the digital economy, from health care to education, rural development and tourism.
This project is a stepping stone to create equality of service across the country.” Furthermore, he congratulated the teams of USF and Telenor for achieving this significant milestone.
“This project in Balochistan will benefit an unserved population of 0.16 million in 170 unserved mauzas, thereby covering an unserved area of 47,872 sq. km. of Chaghi and Nushki districts,” the minister added.
Syed Amin Ul Haque also said that following this project, the total cost of projects in 14 districts of Balochistan has increased from PKR 8.43 billion to PKR 11 billion.
The completion of these projects will benefit more than 2.2 million people in 2,024 muazas of Bolan, Jaffarabad, Mastung, Ziarat, Kech, Panjgur, Gwadar, Pishin, Qila Abdullah and surrounding areas.
The Federal Minister also informed that the work of providing uninterrupted mobile services to the commuters on the highways and motorways of Balochistan is in full swing.
Under which the project of providing mobile service on 701 km highway from NH25 to NH10 has been completed at a cost of PKR 759 million.
While projects worth PKR 250 million on 650 km highway from NH25 to NH65 and more than PKR 410 Million on 451 km highway from NH50 to NH70 are work in progress.
