Syed Amin-Ul-Haque, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, revealed that he has been directed to develop a work plan on ‘Smartphone for All,’ through which Pakistani cell phone users will soon be able to obtain smartphones and mobiles with data packages on instalments.
He was speaking to the media during the Mobile World Congress 2022 (MWC22) in Barcelona.
The four-day conference, held under the auspices of the GSM Association, aims to develop strategies for improving global mobile connectivity and increasing access to communication technology for the general public. It also aims to benefit from one another’s experiences and observations. The conference is being attended by representatives from governments and telecommunications companies from all over the world.
Earlier, at the Pakistani Consulate in Barcelona, the Federal Minister stated that for the first time in Pakistani history, a mobile manufacturing policy was formulated and approved by the cabinet and Parliament. He emphasised that mobile phones are not only manufactured in Pakistan, but are also exported.
In response to a question, Syed Amin-ul-Haq stated that he was concerned about the imposition of taxes on mobile phones imported from abroad for personal use, as well as the repeated collection of taxes on a single phone.
According to the Minister, the government is working on resolving the issues of overseas Pakistanis and granting them the right to vote. He hoped that overseas Pakistanis would be able to exercise their voting rights in the next general election via the internet.
Concerning the Mobile World Congress, he stated that four Pakistani companies attended the event last year, with the number of participating companies increasing to nine this year.
He stated that Pakistan’s efforts to improve connectivity were highlighted during the event’s most important ministerial session, and that the Digital Pakistan Vision was thoroughly discussed.
In Barcelona, he said he met with Ministers from many countries, as well as representatives of international IT companies, global telecommunications companies, and World Bank officials, who praised Pakistan for being an investment-friendly country.
