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Pakistan has highest teledensity in South Asia: PM

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani Thursday said teledensity in the country had increased to 58 percent of the population, which was the highest in South Asia.

Pakistan remains one of the fastest growing telecom markets in the world where in the last year mobile industry invested close to $3 billion of total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) coming into the country.

Talking to a delegation of the GSM Association Board and CEOs of mobile operators in Pakistan headed by Ricardo Tavares, senior vice president, Public Policy GSM Association, who called on him at the PM House.

He said government was fully committed to developing the telecom sector and had taken a number of initiatives aimed at supporting the mobile sector to leverage its strength for growth of economy.

Pakistan had become a destination for investments in IT and had so for attracted $9 billion FDI, which clearly reflected the confidence of the investors.

He said increase in teledensity in the country had created growth opportunities in the telecom sector.

He said due to the demand of telephony, both mobile and fixed had created excellent investment opportunities leading to increased inflow of foreign investment in the telecommunication sector. With growing use of internet, cellular phones and broadband the demand for data and voice connectivity services was increasing rapidly, he maintained.

The prime minister said opening up of telecommunication sector, the competitive and comparative advantage due to the availability of highly skilled human capital, world-class infrastructure and reduced cost of doing business has stimulated phenomenal growth, attracted investments and Pakistan was geared to become the regional hub for IT and telecom business.

The prime minister praised the mobile industry for its success in building a world-class infrastructure, creating employment opportunities and attracting further investments to Pakistan.

The delegation assured the PM that the mobile industry would continue to work with the government for the rapid provision of state of the art information and communication services in Pakistan, with a heightened focus on empowering rural communities.

The delegation informed the prime minister that Group Special Mobile Association (GSMA) was a global trade associations founded in 1987 and represent more than 700 GSM mobile phone operators across 217 territories and countries across the world. He was briefed that more than 180 manufacturers and suppliers support the association’s initiatives as associate members.

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