IT Ministry Launches Optical Fiber Cable Projects Worth Rs. 5 Billion

The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MoITT) has launched three more Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) projects for six regions in Sindh worth Rs 5 billion.

The projects will provide high-speed connectivity to 4.2 million people in Larkana, Hyderabad, Badin, Qambar Shahdadkot district, Jamshoro and Badin and will be completed within 16 months.  An agreement was signed between Universal Service Fund (USF) and Pakistan Telecom Limited (PTCL) for projects.

Addressing the signing ceremony, the Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, said that in line with the vision of digital Pakistan, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is running various projects through the Universal Service Fund (USF).  These projects play a vital role in the social and economic development of the local population.

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Information and Communication Technology Syed Amin UI Haq said that the ministry's goal is to connect all the citizens of Pakistan through the USF as digitization has become a priority for businesses and communities.

Under the Next Generation Fiber Optic Network and Services (NG-OF) program, USF has contracted with more than 16,000 km of financial service centers to provide access to information and e-wing services to 31.5 million people across the country.  Such as e-health care, e-finance, e-agriculture and e-education.

The minister added that the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is working to enable rural and remote communities to compete better and support economic growth to have a positive impact on the national GDP by contributing to the United Nations sustainable development goals.