Govt committed to ensuring internet access, digital facilities: Shaza Fatima

Celina Ali

Islamabad: State Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja said on Friday that the government was committed to ensuring internet access, smartphones, devices, and fiber optic facilities across the country. Speaking at a ceremony organized by Huawei Pakistan on the occasion of World Telecommunication Day, she highlighted Huawei’s significant contributions to the global technological landscape and its positive impact on Pakistan.

The event was also attended by Vice CEO of Public Affairs Yushaoning, President of Carrier Network Business Group Zhangzhen, Director PACD Saad Talha and CEO Cloud Shahzad Rasheed. World Telecom Day is dedicated to raising awareness about the role of telecommunications in the lives of people and in the development of societies worldwide. The minister said, “I will like to congratulate Huawei on all the success it has achieved so far, and also thank Huawei for being in Pakistan and helping Pakistan achieve its goals”. She also offered full support to Huawei Pakistan.

The minister outlined Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision of creating a fully digitized nation where every citizen had a digital identity and all processes in the economy, governance, and society are transparent, streamlined, and efficient. “Connectivity, whether it is fiber or wireless, is a top priority for Pakistan. We recognize that connectivity and the internet form the foundational architecture for any ICT development we aim to achieve in the future,” she said. The minister underscored the critical role that robust digital infrastructure played in advancing technological progress and innovation. As the world increasingly relied on digital solutions, ensuring widespread and reliable internet connectivity remained a top priority for fostering sustainable ICT growth, she added. Shaza said that under the Prime Minister’s vision, the private sector was being provided with full support and an enabling environment to take the lead in the digitalization process. She also announced that preparations were underway for the launch of 5G services in Pakistan, which would be available soon. An auction committee led by the Finance Minister was overseeing these matters, she added,

She believed that the introduction of 5G would usher in a new era of development. The minister recalled that in 2010, Shehbaz Sharif, as Chief Minister, introduced the concept of e-employment. About one million laptops, she said had been distributed among the youth, enabling many Pakistani freelancers to make a name for themselves globally. She recalled that 3G and 4G services were also launched during the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, and now the government was moving towards launching 5G. The minister said that the PML-N had played a crucial role in Pakistan’s digitalization and IT advancements.

The government was striving to provide the best services to 150 million mobile phone users in the country, aiming to create ease for future generations, she added. The minister highlighted that under the Universal Service Fund (USF), connectivity projects worth Rs 80 billion had been completed over the past five years. She said that the government was focusing on entrepreneurship to transform the youth from job seekers to job creators. Shaza said that Pakistan had started manufacturing mobile phones domestically, with around 37 companies setting up manufacturing units in the country, adding about 95% of the country’s mobile phone requirements were now met locally, and the government aimed to export locally manufactured mobile phones. She noted that the Pakistan mobile export policy had almost been finalized in consultation with other stakeholders, including the Ministry of Commerce.

“We are very hopeful that Pakistani-manufactured mobile phones will soon be exported on a large scale to earn valuable foreign exchange,” she added. The minister said that currently, about 200,000 mobiles had been exported, and the government was determined to enhance the figure. She said that the IT and Telecom sector was one of the largest tax contributors and had attracted about $7 billion in Foreign Direct Investment in the country. On the occasion, Zhangzhen mentioned that in the past year, Huawei had also launched the first Smart Village Project in Pakistan and powered the first National Hyper-Scale Financial Cloud, while focusing on sustainability and green solutions. The Government of Pakistan launched the Smart Village Pakistan project to overcome the extreme disparity between the urban and rural development indicators.

The first in-country Financial Cloud is contributing to economic growth and employment generation while addressing data security concerns, reducing latency improving efficiency, and optimizing costs. Ray Yushaoning ensured their commitment to continue to contribute to Digital Pakistan by providing the global best in AI and Cloud services, Digital Infrastructure, Smart City Solutions and Cybersecurity to accelerate digital economic growth. “We, at Huawei, thank you for your trust in our services and look forward to serving Pakistan to the best of our abilities” he added.