Minister for Finance Muhammad Ishaq Dar on Wednesday reiterated the government’s resolve for providing broadband facilities to all uncovered areas by next fiscal year in order to fulfill the government’s vision of financial and digital inclusion.
Addressing a contract signing ceremony of broadband facility for sustainable development in Kohistan District of Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa Province, the minister said that government was providing Rs 12 billion subsidy during the current fiscal year,
which would further add over 56,000 subscribers.
The contract was signed by the Universal Service Fund (USF) and Telenor Pakistan Limited, where as the ceremony was also
witnessed by the Deputy Speaker National Assembly, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Minister of State for Information Technology, Anusha Rahman Khan and Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousuf.
Ishaq Dar said that Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) had approved Rs. 9.2 billion for the establishment of information technology park, in order to tape the huge IT potential existing in the country.
Highlighting the economic gains of the government, he said that world had recognized the Pakistan’s economic development and forecasting that it would become 32nd largest economy of the world by 2030.
The minister said that country would ranked among the top 17th economies of the world by 2050, and called upon the opponents to came out from their petty politics and supplement the government efforts for the socio economic development and prosperity of the country.
Ishaq Dar said that Pakistan was an nuclear Islamic state and was like a fort for Muslim Ummah.
The minister cleared in categoric terms that Pakistan would never allow any one to use its territory against any other country,
adding that no country would also be allowed to use its soil against Pakistan.
He said that the country should take action against those involved in terrorism activities in Pakistan, either Pakistan itself
would take action for its security against them and eliminate them too.
He said that decision to establish military courts were taken in June 2014 and security situation in the country had improved
significantly.
Dar said that government was determined to eliminate the terrorism from the country and called upon the all political forces
to join hands to take the country forward.
Speaking on the occasion, Anusha Rahman Khan said the current project was a step forward towards Prime Minister’s vision of
digital Pakistan.
She said that about one million people would avail the 3G connectivity facilities and it would also play role for the
development of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
She said that the total cost of the project was Rs4.6 billion and government would provide 75.6 percent subsidy for the project, where as the remaining amount would be paid by the Telenor.
Anusha said so far about 4,226 uncovered mouzas were covered by USF and other projects for the provision of broadband facilities were in progress in Balochistan.
The minister said that USF was committed to award contracts to connect all mouzas with population of 100 people or more by the first quarter of fiscal year 2018. (APP)
