On Wednesday, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Syed Amin Ul Haque, inaugurated the 'Gokina Smart Village Project', a pilot project under the Smart Villages of Pakistan initiative.
The initiative is a nationwide project launched in collaboration with the Universal Service Fund (USF), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and Huawei in 2021.
The Minister applauded the efforts of the partners involved and noted that the Smart Villages of Pakistan initiative aims to address key challenges faced by rural communities, including limited access to healthcare, education, financial and digital services, unemployment, gender gaps, and a rural-urban divide. The project will be implemented in all provinces soon.
The Gokina Smart Village Project aims to provide solutions to three priority areas identified through a needs assessment study in the valley settlement located 21 kilometers from Islamabad.
The pilot project will begin in Islamabad and be followed by one each in Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Education
The priority is education, and the project has identified an e-education provider, Tele-Taleem, to bridge the gap created by the absence of science teachers, especially in girls' high schools.
Healthcare
The second priority is healthcare, and an e-health provider, Sehat Kahani, will provide basic health advice and services to the community members, reducing the need for time-consuming trips to Islamabad.
Digital skills
The third priority area is digital skills and entrepreneurship, with a focus on fashion, stitching, handicrafts, modern agricultural skills, and the marketing of products.
NADRA launches Motorcycle Services in Pakistan
The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has announced the launch of NADRA Motorcycle Services in Gokina Smart Village, which will soon be expanded to other parts of Pakistan.
Speaking at the launch event, Chairman Tariq Malik stated that this initiative is an extension of the successful Mobile NADRA vehicle project, which allows people to access NADRA services such as family registration certificates and child registration certificates close to their homes.
USF CEO hails Gokina Smart Village project
Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary, CEO of the Universal Service Fund (USF), praised the Gokina Smart Village project as a model for digital inclusivity in Pakistan. He stated that sustainable digital growth is essential for rural development and the socioeconomic stability of individuals.
The USF aims to empower unserved and underserved communities and is looking forward to working with partners such as ITU, Huawei, NADRA, Jazz, TeleTaleem, and Sehat Kahani to impact the lives of people.
ITU promotes the Smart Village project
Atsuko Okuda, Regional Director of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), praised the Smart Village Pakistan initiative for its holistic approach to digital transformation.
She highlighted how this initiative promotes a whole-of-government approach to bring the benefits of digital transformation in sectors such as health, education, and agriculture to rural and remote communities, leaving no one behind offline.
Huawei CEO highlights digitalization in Pakistan
Ahmed Bilal Masud, the Deputy CEO of Huawei Technologies Pakistan, emphasized the importance of digitalization in Pakistan for competitiveness and international participation. He acknowledged the challenges that come with digitalization but also recognized the opportunities that it brings to the country, especially in rural areas.
Huawei is working on USF projects in rural Pakistan with its operators and is committed to helping the country achieve its digitalization goals.
Overall, the launch event showcased the collective effort of various organizations in promoting digital inclusivity and rural development in Pakistan.
Through transformative collaborations and initiatives such as NADRA Motorcycle Services and Smart Village Pakistan, the partners aim to leave no one behind and empower underserved communities to benefit from the digital revolution.
