Regional telecom leaders launched a roadmap to advance digital inclusion across the Asia-Pacific region during a three-day symposium in Islamabad. The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and USF Pakistan co-hosted the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Symposium on Digital Transformation and Universal Service Fund alongside the APT Secretariat.
Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja stated that Pakistan is dedicated to establishing a secure, sustainable, and inclusive digital economy. Khawaja added that the country is revising policies to enhance high-speed fibre connectivity, lower smartphone costs, and establish domestic AI computing facilities under the APT Tokyo Statement 2025.
The Universal Service Fund Pakistan has surpassed $1.054 billion in contracted subsidies, according to Khawaja. APT Secretary-General Dr Masanori Kondo noted that digital transformation is altering how governments provide public services, how businesses function, and how people communicate or learn.
Kondo argued that Universal Service Funds must transition into results-oriented frameworks that offer greater flexibility. USF Pakistan Chief Executive Officer Ch Mudassar Naveed reported that the organisation has finished 158 of its 185 awarded projects.
Naveed confirmed that more than Rs169 billion in subsidies were utilised by USF Pakistan to benefit over 38.4 million people directly.
