Communication Sector in Pakistan

Communication is the basic importance in the development process of a country, and density of the transport network is an index to economic development. As compared with developed countries, Pakistan possesses a less developed communication network. Government is making serious efforts to develop an efficient communication network to meet the growing needs of the country. Communication plays an important role in the economic and cultural development of a country.

Pakistan has following means of communication. 1. Postal Service: The Post office is a Federal Government entity which provides postal facilities through a network of 12828 (2178 urban and 10650 rural) post offices across the country.

The department is providing various traditional postal services to the consumers at a reasonable price. It also provides the facility of life insurance, payment of military pensions, collection of motor vehicle tax, renewal of arms and driving licenses etc.

2. Radio Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) has played a pivotal role in promoting national interest by providing information, entertainment and education to audiences at home and abroad in 35 languages (19 regional, 1 sub regional, 16 foreign) from 24 Radio Stations and 5 FM Stations.

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3. Television First television station was introduced in Pakistan by a private television company, in November 26, 1964.

In June 1967, it was converted into private limited company named as Pakistan Television Corporation Limited, with prime objectives to establish a Television Network in Pakistan for the provision of broadcasting news, documentaries, education and entertainment. There are two channels in the country namely PTV Home and PTV News. There are also operating 22 private TV channels across the country. 4. Telecommunication The Telegraph and Telephone department was converted into Pakistan Telecommunication Corporation on 15th December 1990 for better telecommunication system in the country.

On 1st January 1996, the corporation was recognized by establishing the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the National Telecommunication Operation (NTC) and Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL). PTCL has issued 60,000 telephone connections to its customers. 6 Mobile companies are operating their network in Pakistan under PTA. There are at least six crore people are using mobile phone in Pakistan. 5. Information Technology (IT) IT has assumed unprecedented importance in the global economy. Government has accorded a very high priority to this sector.

IT is one of the key determinants of competitiveness and growth of economy. For promotion of IT, above than 400 cities have been provided internet facility. Pakistan has established Software Technology Park at Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar. Currently, in 2006-07 Pakistan has earned 50 million dollars from software industry. The Ministry of Science and Technology has approved different projects which will be implemented in the next few years. Pakistan enjoys good international telecommunications links via satellite. The availability of domestic telephone service improved in the 1990s as the utility was privatized.

Cellular telephone service and Internet connections are available though not widespread. Radio and television are controlled largely by the government. Importance of Communication: 1. Economic importance It promotes the internal and external trade, utilization of natural resources, mobility of labor, reduction in unemployment, increase in agricultural production, reduction in population pressure and elimination of starvation and hunger etc. 2. Political importance It creates the political awareness in people, maintenance of law and order in society etc.

It also helps bringing out the opinion of the masses. 3. Social importance Linkage of people develops brotherhood and sense of unity, and this can stimulate economic activity within the country. It promotes the education across the country and provides the modern information by Industrial Facts & Figures In 1999-2000, there were only 0. 3 million cellular mobile subscribers in Pakistan which jumped to 2. 4 million by 2002- 03 as a result of introduction of CPP regime and addition of another mobile operator (Ufone).

Mobile subscribers continued to rise at an unprecedented pace, reaching 5.0 million by 2003-04. Major turnaround was witnessed when the mobile companies started giving free mobile connections and bearing the cost of government levies themselves. In a short period of 10 months in the outgoing fiscal year, more than 5 million new subscribers have been added to the list, reaching over 10. 5 million by end April 2005. In other words more than 100 percent increase in subscriber in just 10 months was unprecedented. Accordingly, the teledensity with respect to cellular mobile has jumped form 0. 2 percent in 1999-2000 to 7 percent in 2004-05.

For promotion of Information Technology, 1900 cities/towns/villages have been provided Internet facility, up to March, 2005. Total telephone lines installed by March 2005 were 5. 5 million as against 4. 4 million up to June 2004 last year. Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd has emerged as a successful Forbes 2000 conglomerate with over $1 billion in sales in 2005. Cell phone market has exploded almost fourteen fold since 2000 to reach a subscriber base of over 60 million in 2007. In addition, there are over 6 million landlines in the country. As a result, Pakistan won the prestigious Government Leadership award of GSM Association in 2006.