ISLAMABAD: Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima on Thursday announced an ambitious vision to provide high-speed internet access to every child in the country, declaring that Pakistan could transform into a “digitally different nation” within the next four years.
Briefing journalists in Islamabad, the minister revealed that Pakistan’s IT exports have already touched $3.8 billion, nearly doubling in recent years. She credited freelancers as a major driving force behind this growth but added that the actual inflows were even higher than the figures reflected in official accounts.
Highlighting ongoing initiatives, Shaza Fatima said that around 300,000 individuals are currently being trained under the DigiSkills program, with another 300,000 to follow. She further disclosed that one million people will be trained in partnership with tech giants including Huawei and Google.
Turning to infrastructure, the minister said Pakistan is currently connected to seven submarine internet cables, with three additional ones expected soon. The government, she added, is considering setting up a new landing station in Gwadar or another location beyond Karachi, where all existing submarine cables currently land.
“Only 14 percent of Pakistan’s telecom towers are linked to fiber optics, which is among the lowest in the region,” Shaza Fatima admitted, while pointing out that right-of-way charges remain the highest in South Asia, making fiberization both costly and slow. The government aims to raise fiber connectivity to 40–60 percent in the coming years.
She also noted that 98 percent of internet users in Pakistan rely on Wi-Fi, with only two percent connected via fiber. Efforts are underway, she said, to expand fiber-based services and ensure more reliable, high-speed internet access.
Addressing future technologies, the minister confirmed that several global companies from the US, China, and other countries have applied for satellite internet licenses in Pakistan. “An international consultant has been engaged to streamline the regulatory process, and once finalized, decisions will be made on these applications,” she said.
The minister stressed that the upcoming expansion of submarine cables, increased investment in fiberization, and entry of satellite internet providers would collectively reshape Pakistan’s digital landscape, creating new opportunities for both businesses and individuals.
