USF awards contract for provision of mobile broadband 4G services in Chaghi, Nushki.

ISLAMABAD -- The Universal Service Fund (USF) has awarded contract worth approximately Rs 1.36 billion to Telenor for providing high-speed mobile broadband 4G services in Chaghi and Nushki districts of Balochistan province.

Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Syed Amin Ul Haque and Chairman Senate, Sadiq Sanjrani witnessed the contract signing ceremony held at the USF Office here on Wednesday.

While speaking to the occasion, Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Syed Amin Ul Haque, said, 'The Digital Pakistan vision is all about bringing Pakistan closer together, ensuring that all parts of the country benefit from securing the jobs and opportunities of the future. People in Balochistan should not have to choose between their career and the way of life in their hometown. With high-speed broadband, we can ensure that people in Chaghi and Nushki districts are able to take advantage of the opportunities that are presented by the digital economy, from health care to education, rural development and tourism. This project is a stepping stone to create equality of service across the country.' Furthermore, he congratulated the teams of USF and Telenor for achieving this significant milestone.

'This project in Balochistan will benefit an unserved population of 0.16 million in 170 unserved mauzas, thereby covering an unserved area of 47,872 sq. km. of Chaghi and Nushki districts, minister IT added. Syed Amin Ul Haque said that following this project, the total number of projects for 14 districts of Balochistan at a cost of Rs. 8.43 billion has increased to 11. The completion of these projects will benefit more than 2.2 million people from 2,024 villages of Bolan, Jaffarabad, Mastung, Ziarat, Kichh, Panjgur, Gwadar, Pishin, Qila Abdullah and surrounding areas.

The federal minister said that the work of providing uninterrupted mobile services to the commuters on the highways and motorways of Balochistan is in full swing. Under which the project of providing mobile service on 701 km highway from NH25 to NH10 has been completed at a cost of Rs. 759 million. While projects worth Rs. 250 million on 650 km highway from NH25 to NH65 and more than Rs. 410 Million on 451 km highway from NH50 to NH70 are under completion. Addressing the ceremony, Sadiq Sanjrani...