PTA chief shares plans of financial inclusion

Says users would be able to open bank accounts through mobile phones

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Dr Syed Ismail Shah on Tuesday said efforts are under way to enable people to open bank accounts through their mobile phone devices by 2019.

Talking to APP after attending the opening session of the 29th South Asian Network Operators Group (SANOG) meeting, he said that Pakistan has been playing a leading role with regards to financial inclusion and digital technology.



Shah said that currently about 40 million people are using mobile phones in the country and geographically 57% Pakistanis have access to the facility. “Two and a half years ago there was no broadband service in Pakistan but now the country has access to 3G, 4G technologies.”

The government, he said, had withdrawn 19.5% tax on mobile data with the cooperation of provinces. He said that 71% of SIMs have been verified through biometrics system.



A special mobile application, he said, has been prepared for the needs of special individuals with the cooperation of Telenor. He added that these people would now be able to use internet service like ordinary citizens.  “In the future the problem of transportation would also be resolved through mobile applications,” he added.

For women, he said, services have been introduced through which they are able to do official work from home.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2017.

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