ISLAMABAD: Unlike the impression that cellular companies were barred from launching 3G/4G internet services in Gilgit-Baltistan before the auction of the spectrum for the area, Information Technology Minister Syed Aminul Haq claimed on Monday that there was no such restriction on telcos, and that they were reluctant to expand network in GB “only because it was not commercially viable for them”.
Talking to the media in Islamabad, the minister clarified that there were no restrictions on four private telecom operators, including Jazz, Ufone, Telenor and Zong, to commence operations in GB. “They were only reluctant due to limited commercial viability in the region,” he added.
Referring to his meeting with Special Communication Organization (SCO) Director General Maj Gen Ali Farhan regarding GB’s IT uplift programme, the minister said there were 62 towers in GB that were currently being operated at 2G. “The SCO will convert them to 3G and 4G in the coming months, besides upgrading around 92 towers along the Karakoram Highway to 3G and 4G.”
He informed that four cities of GB would be offered a triple bundle from SCO. The bundle would include a package for TV, Internet and telephone.
The minister claimed that the government has invested heavily in the IT and telecom sector of GB through the SCO, which would not only help uplift social and economic conditions of the GB people but would also facilitate CPEC-related activities.
Established in 1976 to develop, operate and maintain all telecom services in Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, SCO is a public sector organisation under the Ministry of IT & Telecom.
Over the years, SCO has developed massive IT & telecom infrastructure, including laying of over 4,800km Optical Fiber Cable network in the region.
“The ministry has already launched an IT park in GB, while AJK government has been asked to provide us the land to establish an IT park there too,” the minister said.
Talking about a proposal to expand SCO’s network in other parts of the country, Haq said although there were some proposals in this regard, “but the incumbent government has no such plans and this idea is not even under discussion”.
He said the focus of his ministry was to improve the telecom and internet services in unserved and underserved parts of the country, including GB.
On a query, he said the fate of SCO would be decided in case the GB was made the 5th province of the country.
Regarding an extension of IT and telecom services in remote parts of the country, he said the ministry has already decided to hold the Universal Service Fund (USF) auctions after every 15 days.
The minister said that that new social media rules would be notified soon. After the implementation of new rules, he added, the number of complaints received by the cybercrime wing of FIA would decline, as social media platforms would be compelled to take certain regulatory actions against violators.
“PUBG and TikTok were making money from Pakistan but they did not even have any representative in the country to listen to our concerns,” Syed Aminul Haq stated.
