Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited, in collaboration with the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, is rolling out the digital literacy training component of its Ba-Ikhtiar Program across the twenty two districts where the initiative is currently active. The training sessions will be delivered by the Institute of Rural Management, an organisation specialising in community development and capacity building, which will be responsible for equipping 2,100 women with practical digital skills and the tools needed to participate more confidently in today’s digital economy.
Under the program, participants will receive hands-on training covering smartphone usage, digital literacy fundamentals, online communication, internet safety and access to essential digital services. Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited will also provide smartphones directly to participants, an addition intended to allow women to continue building on what they learn during the training sessions well after the formal program concludes, rather than losing access to the tools needed to apply their newly developed skills once the training period ends.
Chief Marketing Officer Amad Khan said the true measure of empowerment lies in the ability to create opportunities for oneself, describing the Ba-Ikhtiar Program as built on that belief. He noted that digital skills are becoming increasingly important in everyday life, and that the collaboration with the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund and the Institute of Rural Management is intended to help women develop the confidence to use technology in meaningful ways, whether that involves accessing information and services, supporting their families, or exploring new economic opportunities that digital literacy can open up.
Anwar Ul Haq, Senior Programme Manager at the Institute of Rural Management, said the organisation appreciated the contribution and collaboration extended by the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund and Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited in engaging the institute as part of the Ba-Ikhtiar initiative. He described the program as a valuable model for inclusive skills development and women’s economic empowerment in Pakistan, and recommended continuing and scaling up similar initiatives to create greater opportunities for women across the country going forward.
By equipping women with both technical competencies and broader digital capabilities, the Ba-Ikhtiar initiative is intended to create pathways toward greater financial independence, more sustainable livelihoods and meaningful participation in both the formal and digital economy. The rollout of this digital literacy component reflects Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited’s continued commitment to advancing digital inclusion and women’s empowerment through strategic partnerships aimed at creating lasting social impact, adding to a broader pattern of Pakistani telecom operators increasingly incorporating digital skills training and inclusion focused initiatives alongside their core connectivity and infrastructure operations.
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