ISLAMABAD: In a major step toward bridging Pakistan’s digital divide, the Universal Service Fund (USF) has approved nine telecom development projects worth Rs13.05 billion to accelerate the delivery of high-speed internet and voice services to 5.55 million people living in unserved and underserved regions across the country.
The newly sanctioned projects include six initiatives under the Next Generation Broadband Services for Sustainable Development (NGBSD), designed to provide high-speed broadband and voice connectivity to 1.267 million residents across 753 villages in seven districts.
Three additional projects focus on laying 1,428km of optical fibre cable (OFC) across 178 towns and union councils, bringing advanced fibre-based connectivity to another 4.29 million people.
These decisions were made during the 101st meeting of the USF Board of Directors, chaired by Information Technology and Telecommunication Secretary Zarrar Hasham Khan.
After a transparent competitive process, the board awarded the projects to the lowest compliant bidders.
Under the NGBSD programme, the new broadband projects will be launched in Umar Kot (Sindh); Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, and Muzaffargarh (Punjab); Kohat and Mansehra (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa); and Khuzdar (Balochistan). The OFC rollout will cover Sialkot and Narowal (Punjab), as well as the Quetta-Ziarat region.
Chairman Zarrar Hasham underscored the urgent need to accelerate fibre deployment to mobile towers and base transceiver stations, urging the USF to play a leading role in strengthening national digital infrastructure.
He said USF initiatives continue to empower rural populations, support freelancers, and enhance access to essential health and education services.
He added that USF projects have so far enabled broadband, voice, and fixed-line services for approximately 39.4 million rural residents. Positive socio-economic impact is expected from the new initiatives.
The latest approvals mark a critical expansion of Pakistan’s broader digital infrastructure agenda, particularly as the country witnesses rising demand for mobile data, e-learning platforms, cloud services, and remote work opportunities.
Limited fibre penetration has long been identified as a bottleneck in achieving reliable high-speed connectivity, especially in rural and semi-urban regions.
The new OFC projects, therefore, represent a structural investment that could directly improve the quality of mobile internet, reduce network congestion, and support 4G and emerging 5G readiness.
Socio-economic impact
The newly approved projects will improve connectivity that will support education, healthcare, e-commerce, agricultural markets, and disaster management services in the targeted regions.
