The Universal Service Fund is preparing to launch its Next Generation Broadband for Sustainable Development initiative, known as NG-BSD, aimed at bringing high-speed internet connectivity to three historically underserved districts across Pakistan. The program will introduce broadband infrastructure in Bahawalpur, Mirpurkhas, and Kolai Palas, with each district treated as a separate package under the upcoming bidding process, allowing operators to compete independently for each lot based on their capacity and subsidy requirements.
The initiative will be executed through a reverse auction model, a procurement mechanism under which qualified bidders compete to deliver the required broadband services at the lowest possible government subsidy, ensuring that public funds are deployed as efficiently as possible while still attracting capable operators willing to build and maintain infrastructure in areas where commercial viability has historically been limited. Under this model, the selected operator for each district will receive government support through the Universal Service Fund to help finance the construction and operation of broadband infrastructure, with the expectation that affordable, high-speed internet access will be made available to thousands of users across these regions once services go live. Companies interested in participating must meet eligibility requirements including valid tax registration such as a National Tax Number and active sales tax status, with full details of the bidding process, technical specifications, and timelines available on the Universal Service Fund’s official website. Bids for the Bahawalpur lot are due by May 21, 2026, with timelines for Mirpurkhas and Kolai Palas also set under the phased bidding plan.
The three districts selected for the initiative reflect different dimensions of Pakistan’s digital divide. Bahawalpur is a historically significant city in southern Punjab with a large population that has long had access to limited and inconsistent internet infrastructure relative to major urban centers. Mirpurkhas in Sindh is a predominantly agricultural district where digital connectivity could meaningfully support access to market information, financial services, and government programs for farming communities. Kolai Palas, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kohistan district, is a mountainous and geographically remote area where terrain has historically made infrastructure deployment difficult and expensive. By targeting these three distinct regions simultaneously, the Universal Service Fund is signalling an intent to address the digital gap across multiple provinces and geographic profiles in a single program cycle, with improved connectivity expected to support education, healthcare delivery, and economic activity in areas that have remained on the margins of Pakistan’s digital economy.
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