Rs31 billion to be invested for improved connectivity in Pakistan: IT Minister

Federal Minister for Information Technology (IT) and Telecom Syed Amin-Ul-Haq on Saturday said that Pakistan’s telecom industry market size and exports of IT services have grown “considerably” in recent years. He went on to add that in line with the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ‘Digital Pakistan Vision’, 5G technology will be rolled out by December 2022. 

As reported by Business Recorder, the IT Minister was addressing as the chief guest at the 17th annual Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) ICT Awards ceremony held here at a local hotel. He talked extensively about connectivity and stressed that it is a precondition for digitization.  

The ministry has been working on infrastructure development across the country.  

“This year alone, some Rs 18 billion have been earmarked for the connectivity related projects,” he said.  

In next three years, around Rs31 billion will be invested for the improvement of connectivity, he said, adding that the country will launch 5G technology by December 2022 with a vision to further expand the telecom services and internet and making it inclusive for remote and backward areas of the country.  

Associated infrastructure development and prerequisites are being done. Frequent meetings are being convened with the stakeholders in this regard. 

The IT Minister also took the opportunity to praise P@SHA as the representative organizations of software and tech firms. 

“As soon as I assumed office charge, I vowed, IT ministry would give priority to the recommendations put forward by P@sha,” he said. “The ministry has been working to ensure an ease of doing business in the country. A number of issues raised by P@sha have been resolved.“