The Universal Service Fund (USF) approved 30 projects worth Rs18 billion for the IT sector of Pakistan with the aim of bringing the country closer to the Digital Pakistan initiative. If projects materialise, the potential benefits for the poor and those who are cordoned off in remote areas are immense. If Covid-19 has taught us anything, it is that digitisation is the future for the country, economy and the people.
The USF highlighted increasing access to mobile and internet services as the main focus behind each of these projects. Connectivity is bound to improve once we create infrastructure that allows for fibre optic cables to be installed across the country. This will give remote areas a platform through which they can become integrated into the economy, educational system and become an integral part of e-governance. It may even provide the much needed relief as these areas will become more accessible and can be incorporated into the market that industries have to cater to.
When compared to the international community, Pakistan lags far behind because we have not evolved with the world around us. We still rely on traditional processes that have a limited scope, reach and adaptability. This is not a system that can survive in the long-term and the government is fully aware of that. The steps it is taking towards greater communication and digital connectivity that led to the introduction of Amazon in Pakistan, for instance, must be appreciated because they provide a platform through which local vendors and businesses can become a part of the international market. If nothing else, this is at least a start to the standard of development we should be at.
Similarly, online education should not only be reserved as a tool to be employed during times of crises. Instead, it is a convenient and affordable solution to our problems of low literacy rates, sparse distribution of educational institutions and security concerns. In fact, even encouraging digital literacy is bound to improve job prospects for countless in Pakistan. In the end, it all boils down to how much the government is able to facilitate growth within the people and Pakistan as a whole.
Published in thenation on 12th August 2021​