Pakistan’s Universal Service Fund has expanded voice and broadband access to more than 16.2 million people over the past five fiscal years, with its projects covering over 9,400 previously underserved and unserved mauzas across the country. The figures were shared by Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja in a written reply submitted to the National Assembly.
During the 2022 to 2026 period, USF projects delivered voice and broadband data services across more than 9,400 mauzas, helping bring connectivity to areas where telecom operators had previously lacked a strong business case for expansion. The fund also extended coverage along more than 1,000 kilometres of previously unserved roads, including sections of national highways and motorways, while covering eight tourist destinations and around 50 kilometres of access routes connecting to them.
Over the same five-year period, USF deployed more than 10,400 kilometres of optic fiber cable, connecting 947 unserved tehsil headquarters, union councils and towns to the broader telecom network. Since its original launch, the fund has reached more than 38.4 million people across over 22,100 mauzas in total, alongside more than 2,500 kilometres of previously unserved road segments and a cumulative fiber optic deployment exceeding 18,300 kilometres.
The Universal Service Fund was established under Section 33(A)(1) of the Pakistan Telecommunication Re-organization Act, 1996, with the goal of extending telecom services to rural, remote and underserved communities. The programme initially focused on voice and basic data services delivered through 2G networks before expanding to high speed broadband through 3G and 4G technology. The government said improved connectivity through USF projects continues to support education, healthcare, emergency services, financial inclusion, e-governance and access to broader economic opportunities, with the ministry stating that the fund will continue targeting unserved and underserved communities through ongoing broadband and fiber deployment projects.
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