Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday asked the Ministry of Information Technology to ensure reliable and cheap broadband connectivity across the country, particularly to remote areas, in order to ensure the spread of digital facilities to the common man.

Addressing a ceremony here at a local hotel for the contract signing of Broadband for Sustainable Development Projects in FATA; Khyber, Mohmand Agency, and D.I.Khan, the Prime Minister commended the initiative and said it would help bridge the gap between the urban and rural areas by providing modern facilities to the people at their doorsteps.

The project for provision of telecom services to the un-served areas was being implemented by the Universal Service Fund, working under the Ministry of Information Technology.

After the launch of the 3G and 4G services, it has provided internet service to 5,896 Mauzas. The new contracts would enable it to extend these services to Khyber, Mohmand and D.I.Khan at a cost of Rs 3.5 billion and facilitate over four million people in 1,187 Mauzas.

He tasked the Ministry of Information Technology to complete the project in the next four months and provide connectivity at affordable rates.

The Prime Minister stated that e-services were a rapidly evolving field and could provide health, education and business opportunities to the people in the remotest areas of the country.

He said at a later stage it could also help in e-voting and help cut down the cost of holding elections.

The Prime Minister also mentioned the initiative by the Universal Service Fund for the provision of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for girls and delivery of IT and e-services in un-served and under-served areas.

Under the USF Project “ICT for Girls”, Microsoft has collaborated to train young girls to empower them to participate in the socio-economic development of the country. So far 100 computer labs have been established in Bait-ul-Maal’s Women Empowerment Centers across the country that would train 35,000 students.

Prime Minister Abbasi termed the development as the tip of the iceberg and said it would empower the women and enable them to earn a respectable income from the comfort of their homes.

Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rehman said the USF was also providing ICT training to young girls at government schools in Islamabad through 226 computer labs. Microsoft would train 202 teachers who would impart training to over 70,000 girls.

She also pointed to the project for empowerment and creation of economic opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprises and Artisans through e-commerce. She said such technology would help improve social and economic growth and make it easier to provide e-health, e-education and several other facilities.

Since 2013, contracts have been awarded for providing mobile broadband services in Kalat, Sibi, Zhob, Kohistan, Dera Bugti and Kharan-Washuk she further stated.

The Prime Minister earlier witnessed inking of the Contracts between the USF and the service providers of Ufone and Telenor.