Pakistan is aiming for an ambitious slogan "Smartphone for All" as part of its digital transformation journey as Pakistan is putting in place a comprehensive smart government ecosystem, which is assisting in the country's efforts to efficiently and effectively deliver public services.

Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin Ul Haque, addressing the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-22) Ministerial Roundtable Conference held in Bucharest, stated that Pakistan is dedicated to promoting accessible, affordable internet, meaningful universal connectivity, and strong international and regional cooperation.

He said Pakistan intends to provide not only a conducive environment, but also to drive both the demand and supply sides of the ecosystem, thus creating an image of a globally competitive and prosperous country that provides a high-quality life for all of its citizens.

He stated that Pakistan is a country with a 220 million population and 64% of youth under the age of 30, and that the government is willing to bet all resources and efforts on the country's future. "A future that ensures inclusive, universal, and sustainable digital growth," he added.

The ITU PP-22 meets once every four years to set the Union's general policies, adopt four-year strategic and financial plans, and elect the organization's senior management team, Member States of the Council, and members of the Radio Regulations Board.

According to a press statement received by WealthPk, the government of Pakistan, through its Universal Services Fund (USF) initiative, is running diverse Telecom Infrastructure and Services programs that are playing a pivotal role in providing high-speed internet to unserved, underserved, and hardest-to-connect communities.

According to Amin, subsidy-driven programs are accelerating digital transformation and empowering marginal communities to ease into the digital ecosystem, with a special emphasis on gender inclusivity.

"The last four years have been our busiest in terms of USF outreach," Amin added, “In this period, we have only contracted 79 new projects totalling $266 million to cover 28 million people."

He added that Pakistan has a clear vision of empowering talented youth by providing opportunities for them to pursue entrepreneurship as a career. To that end, the government of Pakistan is creating an enabling environment for talented youth across the country by establishing tech-based National Incubation Centers (NIC).

Moreover, he said that last year, the Pakistani startup space caught the global attention of renowned investors and VC firms and attracted the record highest-ever investments with a 275 percent increase. The minister added that Pakistan is aware of the challenges of fast-tracking the digital ecosystem for remote societies. “Our resolve is our unwavering determination to see these marginal communities stand shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the world,” he stated.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk