FATA Secretariat Hurdles the Broadband Expansion Project: Anusha Rehman

FATA Secretariat Hurdles the Broadband Expansion Project: Anusha. The MoIT has complained about FATA Secretariat for creating hurdles in allowance of the Broadband for Sustainable Development project in tribal areas for the provision of 2G and 3G telecom services under the USF.

FATA Secretariat Hurdles the Broadband Expansion Project: Anusha Rehman

While addressing a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology on Tuesday, presided by Senator Shahi Syed, State Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rehman informed that her ministry had sent countless letters to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Secretariat, pursuing the approval and support for increasing broadband services in the distant region.

“The Fata Secretariat is still following the policy of previous government, which was against IT services in tribal areas in the name of security.”

She stated.

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An official informed the meeting members that after the tribal areas came under telecom coverage, it would support to counter unlawful phone calls from Afghan SIMs. It will also help track terrorists via up-to-date technology.

“We want Pakistan’s telecom network to work effectively there to counter the illegal phone calls emanating from Afghanistan.”

The official said.

The minute, Fata Secretariat gives the green signal for broadband services, the IT ministry will commence a survey. It will evaluate the necessity of information technology services and plan projects accordingly.

Under the Broadband for Sustainable Development project, the ministry will cover and connect all under-developed areas by 2019. They will spend over Rs 20 billion on delivering 2G and 3G amenities.

Anusha Rehman said that the IT ministry had got Rs 13.1 billion over the past three years. Out of which Rs 11.5 billion had been expended on telecom services in the rural areas. She publicized that corruption had been uncovered in certain projects of the IT ministry. It paved way for misappropriation.

“Corruption-related cases have been sent to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for inquiry, which is under way.”

She revealed.

According to the State Minister for IT, in regions such as Musakhel in Balochistan, some native people are making hurdles in launching projects. In order to serve assigned interests, the government is tackling the condition.

SOURCE: The Express Tribune