SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)
Pakistan is among the countries where internet users are rapidly increasing yet country is lagging far behind from the developed countries in the use and provision of technology.
Although the numbers online are rising steadily and accelerating with the explosion in cheap 3G phone sales, the country still has a long way to go if it is to exploit the potential that the internet offers in a myriad ways. In 2013, it was estimated that there were 30 million individual users of the internet, and half of them connected via their phone; giving an internet penetration of around 16 per cent. There are close to 130 million mobile phone users in the country so the potential for expansion of connectivity is vast. It is perhaps, with this in mind that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on February 26 gave the approval for establishing a free of charge public Wi-Fi facility right across the province. The roll out will be for hospitals, universities and other educational institutions, railways, airports, metro bus routes and general bus stands and other locations. Multan, Rawalpindi and Lahore will get the service first, elsewhere to follow on an unspecified timetable.
After announcement of CM Punjab, other provinces are still far behind. Punjab has been remained pioneer in the latest developments. The divide between Punjab and other provinces is increasing day by day. Punjab has already been accused of by other provinces to boggle up their resources. But the responsibility lies to the provincial governments not on the Punjab. For major chunk of development is siphoned off by the political elite of Balochistan, Sindh and KPK.
pakistan.shafaqna.com
