Connected Punjab: Govt Targets 1.5 Million New Broadband Users in $100 Million Digital Expansion. The Punjab government has officially launched its ambitious “Connected Punjab” project, a province-wide initiative designed to provide high-speed broadband access to 1.5 million residents in rural and remote districts. With an estimated cost of $100 million (partially funded by a Rs. 27.7 billion loan from the World Bank), the project aims to transform the province into a digital-first economy by 2030.
Read More: PTA Report: Major Spike in Mobile and Internet Complaints Across Pakistan as Service Quality Drops
Bridging the Fiberization Gap
A core component of the project is the massive expansion of fiber optic infrastructure. Currently, only 16% of mobile towers in Punjab are fiberized, a bottleneck that the government aims to fix by:
-
Rural Rollout: Partnering with private telecom operators to lay fiber in “backward” areas where commercial viability was previously low.
-
Government Connectivity: Linking all provincial government offices to a single high-speed digital network.
-
The GPU Cloud: Punjab will also establish its own GPU Cloud to support local startups and universities with the computing power needed for AI and research.
Digital Governance & Cashless Payments
“Connected Punjab” isn’t just about internet speed; it’s about changing how citizens interact with the state. The project targets:
-
Online Public Records: Shifting all official files and records to a secure digital environment.
-
15-Sector Cashless System: Enabling digital payments for taxes, fees, and fines across 15 different departments to eliminate bribery and delays.
-
One-Window Service: Reducing the need for citizens to visit government offices by providing end-to-end online services.
Universal Service Fund (USF) & Jazz Partnership
In tandem with provincial efforts, the Universal Service Fund (USF) recently signed contracts worth Rs. 1.16 billion with Jazz to provide high-speed broadband to nine districts, including Chiniot, Attock, Sargodha, and Faisalabad. This federal-provincial synergy is expected to connect approximately 533,000 residents in 203 rural Mauzas within the next 18 months.
The Challenge: Infrastructure Coordination
While the vision is grand, experts point to the recent LESCO cable-cutting crisis in Lahore as a major hurdle. For “Connected Punjab” to succeed, the government must resolve the ongoing disputes between utility companies (like LESCO) and internet providers regarding Right of Way (RoW) and pole usage.
“We are laying the digital foundation for a thriving nation,” stated Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja. “But this foundation must be protected from inter-departmental conflicts that harm the end user.”
