ISLAMABAD:
Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Monday declined to comment on the PTCL-Telenor merger deal, currently under review by the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP). She said the matter was being handled by the CCP, and she could not comment on it.
She further stated that telecom companies had refused to provide free public Wi-Fi for the entire city of Islamabad but added that free connectivity would be made available at selected public locations. Addressing the media after a Senate Standing Committee on IT & Telecommunication meeting, the minister announced that Islamabad would be transformed into a model digitally smart city.
She said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed officials to accelerate this transformation. The goal is to improve education, healthcare, and connectivity through an integrated digital strategy. The minister said the IT ministry has already funded fibre connectivity for all public schools, basic health units (BHUs), and healthcare facilities in the capital. Within six to eight months, all schools, hospitals, and police stations in Islamabad will be connected to high-speed internet.
She added that free public Wi-Fi would be installed at select spots, with ongoing efforts through public-private partnerships to expand internet access to metro buses and other public areas.
Khawaja noted the Ministry of Education’s support for these efforts and said the government was deploying EdTech solutions to extend education to remote and underserved areas. “We are introducing AI and emerging technology education from kindergarten to grade six,” she said, adding that the prime minister wants every child in Islamabad to have access to quality education.
This model, she added, would be extended to Gilgit-Baltistan and other remote regions to promote equitable digital access.
The minister also said the ministry is working with the Ministry of Health on a ‘One Patient, One ID’ system. All BHUs will be connected through telemedicine to provide online consultations with specialists.
