Pakistan crosses $1b in digital subsidies

The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Symposium on Digital Transformation and Universal Service Fund (USF) began in Islamabad on Tuesday, with member states set to develop a framework that moves universal service beyond traditional coverage and voice subsidies towards gigabit fibre, satellite networks, smartphone financing and rural artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

Organised by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) and USF Pakistan with the APT Secretariat, the three-day forum brings together ministers, regulators, industry executives and delegates from across the region.

Speaking as chief guest, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said about 2.2 billion people worldwide and nearly 48% of the Asia-Pacific population still lack internet access, a figure higher than the global average. She said connectivity was no longer a privilege but a necessity for education, healthcare, disaster management and national security, adding that progress on the National Connectivity Plan is reviewed every 15 days under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Pakistan has crossed $1.054 billion in digital subsidies, with over 17,000 kilometres of optical fibre cable laid. Fibre broadband home passes rose from under three million in 2024 to over five million. Fibreisation of mobile towers increased from 15% to over 19%, against a target of at least 60% for 5G delivery.

The Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) framework is in its final stages. Three new submarine cables have landed in the past two and a half years. According to GSMA, Pakistan recorded the fastest global progress over two years in reducing the gender gap in mobile internet use, from 38% to 8%. Local entrepreneurs are being offered CVAS licences, and fuel subsidies were delivered to over 10 million people through a technology-based system without requiring a smartphone.

APT Secretary General Masanori Kondo said digital exclusion now manifests as a lack of quality and digital readiness, and universal service funds must become outcome-based frameworks.

USF Pakistan Chief Executive Officer Chaudhry Mudassar Naveed said 158 of 185 projects have been completed, using over Rs169 billion in subsidies and benefiting more than 38.4 million people.

The symposium's four pillars are gigabit broadband acceleration, emerging technology integration, sustainable funding and governance, and multi-stakeholder collaboration, based on the Tokyo Statement 2025.

Sessions will cover 5G readiness, open-access fibre, right of way policies, solar-powered green infrastructure, female digital empowerment, rural AI compute readiness, subsea cable resilience and early warning systems. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority Chairman Hafeezur Rehman was also present.