Syed Amin ul Haq, Minister of Information Technology, stated during a contract signing ceremony for the launch of IT projects in Swat that more than 25 software technology parks will be established across Pakistan by the end of the year through public-private partnerships.
The Universal Service Fund (USF) has awarded Telenor a Rs. 781 million contract to provide high-speed mobile broadband services in Swat, while the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) has launched a second project to develop a 22,000-square-foot state-of-the-art software technology park (STP) in Mingora.
Syed Amin ul Haque, the Information Technology Minister, also stated during the contract ceremony that 65,695 people would benefit from High-Speed Mobile Broadband services upon completion of the project, enabling them to access to the digital world and worldwide markets. Additionally, he stated that over 500 IT specialists would establish companies at the software park, offering nearly 2,000 individuals with direct or indirect work prospects.
According to IT officials, residents of the Swat areas live beneath mountains and through dangerous routes, but this initiative will provide them with high-speed internet, overcoming a significant hurdle.
