The Universal Service Fund (USF) has so far awarded 123 projects worth approximately Rs. 124.8 billion in subsidy under its flagship programs and empowered more than 26 million people living in over 12,000 mauzas, covering over 120 districts across Pakistan.
This was revealed by USF Chief Executive Officer Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary while briefing the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GMSA) Asia-Pacific (APAC) team which visited the Fund office to learn about the progress of USF work.
Chaudhary said that he feels honored to have hosted the GSMA APAC team that included the Head of APAC Julian Gorman, the Head of Public Policy APAC Jeanette Whyte, and the Country Lead on Digital Transformation Saira Faisal.
The GSMA APAC and USF discussed ways to strengthen their relationship and actions to overcome the current challenges faced by the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) industry of Pakistan.
During the meeting, the GSMA APAC team appreciated the efforts of the USF and said that the ICT infrastructure provided through USF programs is integral for the future of Digital Pakistan.
Earlier, a comprehensive presentation was given by the CEO regarding the impact of USF work in rural and remote areas of the country.
He said that USF has also successfully laid more than 12,000 km of optical fiber which has connected more than 600 tehsil headquarters, union councils, and major towns of Pakistan and is paving the way for 5G technology. W
Moreover, the current and future plans concerning high-speed mobile broadband and optical fiber programs were covered in the presentation.
The senior management of USF informed that all these projects are playing a vital role in gender empowerment and accelerating the accessibility of e-suite services and bridging the digital divide in Pakistan.
