Universal Service Fund- Pakistan

Established by the Government of Pakistan under the Ministry of IT & Telecom; USF aims to spread the benefits of the #telecom revolution across 🇵🇰

[Universal Service Fund- Pakistan @USF_Pak]

Hassan Bilal, a farmer from Mellowal, District Sargodha, shares how the arrival of mobile connectivity has transformed life in his community. Where there were once no signals and virtually no means of communication, the establishment of a telecom tower has opened up a world of possibilities. From accessing online education and healthcare information to exploring online earning opportunities, staying connected with loved ones, and managing everyday needs with greater ease, connectivity is making a meaningful difference in people's lives.

Through its continued efforts to connect unserved and underserved communities, Universal Service Fund (@USF_Pak), under the Ministry of IT & Telecommunications (@MoitOfficial), in collaboration with @jazzpk, is taking connectivity beyond geographical barriers and bringing new opportunities closer to those who need them most.

#USFEmpowermentJourney #USFPakistan #MoITT #Jazz #BridgingTheDigitalDivide #EmpoweringCommunities #DigitalPakistan #ConnectivityForAll

[Universal Service Fund- Pakistan @USF_Pak]

On the birth anniversary of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, we pay tribute to the visionary poet, philosopher and thinker whose ideas continue to inspire generations.

His vision of a progressive, empowered and self-reliant nation reminds us of the importance of knowledge, innovation and collective progress in shaping Pakistan’s future.

Iqbal Day | 9 November

#IqbalDay #AllamaIqbal #DigitalPakistan #Pakistan #UniversalServiceFund #USFPakistan

[Universal Service Fund- Pakistan @USF_Pak]

On the directions of Federal Minister for IT & Telecom Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, National CERT has issued an advisory on AI-enabled cyber threats. Financial institutions and critical infrastructure operators are urged to review controls and strengthen monitoring and incident response.

https://t.co/xsfkzORAkn

@MoitOfficial

[Universal Service Fund- Pakistan @USF_Pak]

Meaningful digital inclusion begins by listening to the communities we connect.

Universal Service Fund - Pakistan (USF) recently partnered with the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) team on a three-day field visit to farming communities across Sargodha and Gujranwala districts.

The visit aimed to understand farmers’ needs, challenges, and barriers to digital adoption, and to identify how targeted interventions can address them.
Leveraging the footprint of its Next Generation Broadband for Sustainable Development (NG-BSD) program, USF facilitated the PDA team’s engagement with communities around its cellular sites, enabling direct interactions with local farmers, traders, and commission agents.

The insights gathered will inform digital interventions under the National Digital Master Plan, helping turn rural connectivity into real economic empowerment.

At USF, we believe digital inclusion goes beyond extending connectivity. It means making sure rural voices help shape the digital services built for them. Through partnerships like this, we’re working to connect the unconnected and build a truly #DigitalNationPakistan.

#USFPakistan #MoITT #PDA #DigitalInclusion #RuralConnectivity #DigitalPakistan #AgriTech #ConnectingTheUnconnected #DigitalTransformation

[Universal Service Fund- Pakistan @USF_Pak]

Hills Online: District Mansehra's Remote Villages Log On

Solar-powered 4G/LTE towers built by @Zongers (CMPak Ltd.)  under the Universal Service Fund - Pakistan (@USF_Pak) are bringing some of district Mansehra’ s most remote villages online, and the people living there are signing on fast.

Under the recently awarded Universal Service Fund's Next Generation Broadband for Sustainable Development (NG-BSD) program, is building 71 new 4G/LTE sites across Mansehra, Oghi and Balakot tehsils, set to serve 145 mauzas/villages and 172,989 people. The contract was signed in January 2026, and 20 sites have gone on air so far, reaching 40 mauzas/villages and 57,646 people: a third of the target.

Adoption has defied every assumption. Newly connected communities aren’t easing into the digital world. They are diving in. Across the new sites, WhatsApp leads with an average of 42,072 daily users, keeping remote families seamlessly tied to loved ones across Pakistan and abroad. Facebook follows closely at 40,413. Video has taken off just as fast: TikTok draws 19,107 users a day and YouTube 18,070, and both have become busy spaces for learning, earning and entertainment. Instagram adds 8,771, while Twitter (X) trails at 1,477.

That is inclusion, not just coverage. Broadband gives low-income families mobile banking without the journey, education without leaving home, and a place in Pakistan's digital economy.

Fifty-one towers remain, and more than 115,000 people are still waiting. The work is unfinished, but the momentum is clear. When all 71 towers are fully operational, 172,989 rural citizens will finally hold the wider world in their hands, ensuring geography no longer defines the boundaries of their ambition.

#USFPakistan #MoITT #DigitalPakistan #EmpoweringCommunities #BridgingTheDigitalDivide #DigitalMansehra

[Universal Service Fund- Pakistan @USF_Pak]

Universal Service Fund - Pakistan (USF), under the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication, observed Breast Cancer Awareness Month through an awareness walk and an internal discussion highlighting the importance of health check-ins, early detection, preventive measures, and family support. Emphasizing the message “Every Story Is Unique, Every Journey Matters,” the initiative underscored the significance of regular health screenings, timely medical consultation, and fostering a supportive environment for individuals affected by breast cancer.

#BreastCancerAwareness #EarlyDetectionSavesLives #BCA2026 #HealthAndWellbeing #USFPakistan

[Universal Service Fund- Pakistan @USF_Pak]

Universal Service Fund - Pakistan (USF) welcomed the leadership of TMUC Pakistan Higher Education and a distinguished UK academic delegation for a discussion on leveraging digital connectivity to expand educational opportunities, strengthen skills development and promote inclusive growth.

The engagement highlighted USF’s efforts to bridge the digital divide and explored opportunities for collaboration to advance technology-enabled learning and prepare young people for the digital economy.

The delegation included Dr Chaudhry Faisal Mushtaq, Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, Founder & CEO, TMUC Higher Education; Ambassador Sardar Masood Khan, President, CLAS and TMUC Higher Education Group; Professor Anthony Woodman, Vice Chancellor, University of Hertfordshire; Professor Lyndsay Duthie, Pro Vice Chancellor, Academic Partnerships and Industry Engagement, University for the Creative Arts; Catherine Riley, Assistant Director, International Partnerships, University for the Creative Arts; and James Hampson, Country Director, British Council Pakistan.

The engagement reaffirmed the importance of collaboration in connecting communities to education, skills and opportunities in Pakistan’s digital future.

#USFPakistan #MoITT #TMUC

[Universal Service Fund- Pakistan @USF_Pak]

Progress isn’t promised, it’s delivered: fiber laid, towers lit, communities connected.

At today’s fortnightly Project Review Meeting, Universal Service Fund - Pakistan (USF) leadership convened to evaluate rollout trajectories, address on-ground execution hurdles, and celebrate pivotal milestones achieved in bridging meaningful digital inclusion gaps.

✅ NG-OFNS Peshawar (Lot-17) Completed
The CEO commended the team on completing the Next Generation – Optical Fiber Network & Services (NG-OFNS) Peshawar project. Spanning four districts—Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, and Mardan—the project delivers:
🔹 755 km of optical fiber cable laid and 96 optical nodes deployed
🔹 78 Union Councils connected to the optical fiber grid
🔹 523 cellular towers fiberized, providing high capacity backhaul for faster and more reliable mobile broadband

📶 Strong uptake in Hazara Division
The technical team reported steady rollout progress in ongoing USF projects across Abbottabad, Haripur, and Mansehra districts. High traffic and robust capacity utilization on newly deployed cellular sites underscore how eagerly these unserved rural communities have been waiting for digital inclusion. To evaluate ground progress and community impact firsthand, USF leadership will conduct field visits across Hazara Division.

⚠️ Accelerating Projects in Balochistan
The meeting also addressed the slow pace of projects in Balochistan, attributed to the precarious security situation, difficult geographical access, and safety risks for on-ground personnel. Leadership emphasized the need for targeted interventions and close coordination with partners, law enforcement agencies, and other stakeholders to bring these initiatives back on track.

#DigitalPakistan #USF #BroadbandForAll #TelecomInfrastructure #ConnectivityMatters #LeadershipInAction #EmpoweringCommunities #BridgingTheDigitalDivide #MoITT

[Universal Service Fund- Pakistan @USF_Pak]

APT Symposium 2026 concludes in Islamabad!

Three days of insightful discussions, knowledge exchange, and regional collaboration have come to a close, marking another important step towards advancing digital transformation, expanding inclusive connectivity, and bridging the digital divide across the Asia-Pacific region.

Held in Islamabad, the symposium brought together delegates, speakers, and panelists from across the region and beyond to exchange experiences, share perspectives, and strengthen regional cooperation towards meaningful connectivity for all.

We extend our sincere appreciation to the Honourable Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Federal Minister, Ministry of IT & Telecommunication, and Dr. Masanori Kondo, Secretary-General of APT, for their leadership and support. We are equally grateful to all delegates, speakers, panelists, and participants who joined us in person and virtually, contributing valuable insights and enriching the discussions throughout the symposium.

The symposium concluded with closing remarks by Mr. Chaudhary Mudassar Naveed, CEO of USF Pakistan, and Dr. Masanori Kondo, who underscored the importance of regional cooperation and collective action in bridging the digital divide and ensuring meaningful connectivity for all.

Organized by the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (@apt_secretariat ), in collaboration with the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication (@MoitOfficial ) and the Universal Service Fund Pakistan (@USF_Pak), the symposium reaffirmed a shared commitment to a more connected and digitally inclusive Asia-Pacific.

USF Pakistan was proud to host and facilitate this important regional gathering, under the leadership of the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication (MoITT), in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT). The symposium reaffirmed a shared commitment to advancing digital transformation, strengthening regional cooperation, and bridging the digital divide across the Asia-Pacific region.

#APTSymposium2026 #DigitalTransformation #USFPakistan #MoITT #DigitalInclusion #RegionalCooperation #ConnectivityForAll #APT2026

[Universal Service Fund- Pakistan @USF_Pak]

Day 2 of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Symposium on Digital Transformation and the Universal Service Fund brought together panelists, speakers, and delegates from across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond to exchange insights and experiences on advancing inclusive digital connectivity.

Organized by the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (@ITUAsiaPacific) in collaboration with the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication Pakistan (@MoitOfficial) and the Universal Service Fund - Pakistan (@USF_Pak), the sessions focused on expanding affordable connectivity, strengthening Universal Service Fund governance and financing models, and bridging the gender digital divide.

Through expert presentations and cross-country dialogue, participants explored innovative policy approaches, sustainable funding mechanisms, and opportunities for regional cooperation to advance accessible, affordable, and inclusive digital transformation across the Asia-Pacific.

#APTSymposium2026 #DigitalTransformation #UniversalServiceFund #USFPakistan #MoITT #DigitalInclusion #DigitalConnectivity #AsiaPacific

[Universal Service Fund- Pakistan @USF_Pak]

The first day of the three-day Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Symposium on Digital Transformation and Universal Service Fund brought regional telecom leaders, policymakers, regulators, and industry experts together in Islamabad to advance digital connectivity and inclusion.

The opening ceremony featured the inaugural address by Federal Minister for IT & Telecommunication, Honourable Shaza Fatima Khawaja, alongside Dr. Masanori Kondo, Secretary-General of APT, and Chaudhary Mudassar Naveed, CEO, USF Pakistan.

During her address, the Federal Minister highlighted a major milestone: USF Pakistan has crossed $1.054 billion in deployed contracted subsidies, with 158 projects completed, over PKR 169 billion utilized, and more than 38.4 million citizens benefiting.

Day 1 sessions focused on the Tokyo Statement 2025 and Digital Transformation, exploring policy and regulatory priorities, future-proofing universal service frameworks, and strengthening regional cooperation to achieve sustainable, inclusive, and equitable digital connectivity across the Asia-Pacific.

Organized by Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (@apt_secretariat ) in collaboration with Ministry of IT & Telecom (@MoitOfficial ) and Universal Service Fund, Pakistan (@USF_Pak ) The symposium continues to foster dialogue on the future of universal service and digital transformation.

#APT2026 #USFPakistan #MoITT #DigitalConnectivity #APTSymposium2026 #DigitalTransformation

[Universal Service Fund- Pakistan @USF_Pak]

The wait is over. Tomorrow, it begins. 🇵🇰

As international leadership and regional delegates touch down in the capital, the stage is officially set for an unprecedented gathering on home ground.

Catch an exclusive first look from behind the scenes as we gear up for Day 1.

🗓️ Kicking off Tomorrow | Islamabad

#APT2026 #USFPakistan #MoITT #DigitalConnectivity #APTSymposium2026 #DigitalTransformation

@MoitOfficial | @apt_secretariat | @USF_Pak

[Universal Service Fund- Pakistan @USF_Pak]

The global dialogue continues.

As the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (@apt_secretariat) Symposium 2026 unfolds in Pakistan for the first time in partnership with the Ministry of IT & Telecom (@MoitOfficial) and Universal Service Fund, Pakistan(@USF_Pak), the convergence of international expertise deepens.

World-class delegates and industry leaders continue to unpack critical insights, game-changing strategies, and the future of universal digital access across the Asia-Pacific region.

Explore the slides for the next lineup of featured speakers, panels, and agenda topics driving global tech policy forward.

#APT2026 #DigitalPakistan #USFPakistan #MoITT #APTSymposium2026 #DigitalTransformation #TelecomLeaders #SharedKnowledge #ConnectedAsiaPacific

(Post 4/4)