Minister for State for Information Technology and Telecommunications, Anusha Rehman on Sunday said that the successful auction of 3G and 4G spectrum licenses will usher an era of prosperity and development in the country; adding that it will provide dividends to the people from all walks of life.
She hailed that she had done her job according to PML-N election manifesto ensuring availability of telecom facilities to the people across the country. She stated that the PML-N led government is full filling its promises which were made during the election.
According to a study, more than 0.9 million job will be created, which will accelerate business activities in the country.
She maintained that following the auction of 3G and 4G spectrum licenses, responsibilities of the government have been increased manifolds as it has to ensure the availability of modern technology in every nook and cranny of the country in a way that the people of remote areas get access to e-health, e-government, public safety, e-tax management systems, e-agriculture services and e-education.
She said that Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is happy over the process of auction and the entire nation is considering it a success for the country and a step forward for development, progress and prosperity. She further stated that infrastructures are being laid down across the country and works is underway with the guidance of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Phone services will be started in FATA, and parks in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi will be established.
Commenting on the telecom funds for telecom and IT she added, “We have three types of funds including USF, RND and Pakistan Software Export. Board Committee of USF has decided to setup telecenter, installation of optic fiber, and provide rural telephones for effective implementation of the policy.”
The Minister further said that Zong has showed its willingness to pay cent percent fee and it will pay in dollars.
Commenting on dedication and keen interest of the government, she said efforts are made to provide cheap mobile phones to the people because the government has asked manufacturers to invest in Pakistan on the basis of public-private partnership. There will be no import tax on cellular phones due to manufacturing in Pakistan.
The Minister insisted manufacturer companies to open their sale centers in the country with the facilities of guarantee and repairing to the consumers. All legal formalities will be followed in order to avoid business of smuggled cellular phones in the country, she said.
According to Mrs Anusha Rehman the license will be issued after payment of fee and hoped that the network will be expanded by roads, highways and motorway as well as in the far flung areas equally.
The Minsiter expects that the share of telecom will be around 1.8 percent in GDP growth.