ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Maj General Amir Azeem Bajwa (R) Wednesday said that Pakistan was making utmost efforts to connect households and businesses through fiber deployment to realize the ‘Digital Pakistan’ vision.

He said this while delivering a keynote address on Right-of-Way Implementation and Socio- Economic Development at the SAMENA Accelerator policy-level roundtable in Dubai, said a news release received here.

The chairman PTA said that the dream of a truly sustainable and economically viable fourth industrial revolution could not be realized unless fiber makes up the core of the country’s digital infrastructure.

He further stated that Pakistan was well cognizant of the importance of fiber to achieve the policy objectives and, socio-economic wellbeing of the people.

While highlighting the geostrategic importance of Pakistan and its resilient networks, the chairman PTA said that despite the remarkable growth in data usage, digital infrastructure was resilient because of adequate and redundant international connectivity. The country’s geo-strategic position makes it ideal to become a regional transit hub to upstream data traffic towards landlocked countries in the North.

He also said that Pakistan had a liberal investment environment allowing 100% foreign equity and 100% profit repatriation. It is among the top ten countries with the most improved business climate under the ‘Ease of Doing Business Report 2020’ of the World Economic Forum.

While stressing upon PTA’s initiatives, he said that PTA introduced telecommunication Infrastructure Provider and Telecommunication Tower Provider licensing regime for licensees to establish and maintain infrastructure facilities.

It is also doing public consultation on draft infrastructure sharing guidelines, including both active and passive components based on the principles of neutrality, non-discrimination and equal access.

During the visit, the chairman PTA also attended Huawei Ultra-Broadband Forum 2021, where world-leading operators and industry partners explored potential opportunities and challenges in the broadband industry.