GB ... Updates

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Attabad Lake | Hunza

 

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Chumik Bridge U/C on River Indus, Skardu

 

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Five hydro-electric power plants are going to be set up in Gilgit-Baltistan. Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) Chairman, Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, welcomed the approval given by the federal government to start work on five hydro power projects.

The hydro power projects are seen by the Chairman as a means to put an end to the electricity shortage in Gilgit-Baltistan.

About The Energy Projects

The projects will be constructed under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and are expected to cost Rs. 26 billion.

The 105 megawatt projects shall be set up in these areas:

Shargthang,
Hanzal,
Chilas,
Naltar
Hassanabad Hunza.

The PIAF chairman has asked for early construction of the Kalabagh Dam, hoping to improve the country’s economy. He reckons that the dam would provide the consumers with low-priced and ample electricity.

The road being paved leads to Bagrote valley, about 40kms from Gilgit city, where travel had always been a nightmare.

 

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Work on Gilgit Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy (GINOR) was started today.

The project is jointly being implemented by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and the Federal Government, in collaboration with the government of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Costing 2.5 billion rupees, the project will be completed in three years.

The hospital will treat cancer patients.

 

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The foundation stone laying ceremony of first ever Cancer Hospital project was held in Gilgit .

 

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Saling suspension bridge, khaplu under construction

 

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Gilgit-Baltistan gets 3G, 4G internet service

SCO launches 3G/4G service in G-B.

Residents in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) can now enjoy 3G and 4G internet service provided by Special Communication Organization (SCO), Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday.

An SCO spokesperson confirmed the news, saying the internet service will continue on a trial basis and can be accessed free of cost until further notice.

He said the SCO mobile phone SIMs for this purpose are available at the organisation’s franchises in the area.

Radio Pakistan reported that subscribers have been asked not to pay more than Rs200 after acquiring a receipt for purchasing the Sim.

SCO is a public sector telecommunications service provider, established by the government in 1976. It is responsible for developing, operating and maintaining telecom services in G-B as well as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

In October 2017, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority announced plans of introducing fast-paced information technology services – 3G/4G – in AJK and G-B, which it said would materialise by February this year.

Last year, the number of subscribers of 3G/4G in Pakistan rose to 44.4 million, which PTA expects will rise further.

The arrival of 3G and 4G service in such remote areas promises to boost commerce, bring socio-economic prosperity for the entire region and also benefit people living along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor routes in AJK and G-B.

As people of AJK and G-B are heavily dependent on remittances, the 3G/4G service will provide them easy access to the financial services.

The technology will also boost tourism, local economy as well as create job opportunities for local people. The hospitality industry and tourism value chain will also improve as it will make online marketing more efficient and effective.
As transportation in the area is also difficult, better connectivity through modern communication technology is important for its people.

 

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Gilgit-Skardu Expressway (S-1)
Road design includes five tunnels one of which is eight kilometers long. It will be completed with Rs. 33 Billion in Dec 2019.

 

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Pak China Optical Fiber Project.

Pakistan-China Optical Fiber Cable Project by Huawei & SCO is under construction through a tunnel in GB.

Construction in mountain area above 5000+ meters in northern Pakistan.

 

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Hydel project’s feasibility conducted

SKARDU: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has completed the feasibility report of the 34.5-megawatt Harpo-Skardu Hydropower Project. Iltaf Qadir, the project director, updated reporters on the progress achieved. The project will be completed at an estimated cost of over Rs 9.5 billion in three years, he said, adding that the German Department KFOW and AFD of France will donate 80% while 20% would be sourced from the Public Sector Development Programme. “The project will help in overcoming energy shortage in Baltistan division,” he said. Qadir said the mega project will also help in promoting infant industrial units.

 

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CPEC skills: NLC sets up technical institute in Gilgit

To equip the youth of Gilgit-Baltistan with latest technical education and enable them to play their due role in the ongoing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the National Logistics Cell (NLC) has set up an Applied Technologies Institute (ATIN) in Gilgit.

The institute has been established in collaboration with the government of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and Force Command Northern Areas (FCNA), NLC said in a statement on Tuesday.

Classes at the institute are expected to commence shortly after work on a spacious building was completed.

 

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Army’s telecom wing allowed 3G, 4G services trial run in GB

ISLAMABAD: A court has allowed the Special Communications Organisation (SCO) to operate 3G and 4G mobile services on a trial basis in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and stayed the telecom regulatory body’s decision to allow other private operators to launch the service in the mountainous region.

A two-judge bench of the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court (GBCC) comprising Justice Haq Nawaz and Justice Muhammad Umar admitted a petition filed by the SCO, the telecommunication wing of the army, for hearing and issued notices to the respondents to submit their comments within a month.

The petition, a copy of which is available with Dawn, was filed on April 18 under Article 71 of the GB Empowerment and Self-Governance Order 2009, challenging the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) decision of issuing licences to cellular networks for launching 3G and 4G spectrum in the mountainous region.

The petitioner through its counsel Adnan Hussain made the Gilgit-Baltistan Council, PTA, Frequency Allocation Board and the GB government as respondents.

Zong had announced to launch 3G and 4G services in GB from May 5 after getting the licence. The SCO has a monopoly over operating communication service in GB and Azad and Jammu Kashmir (AJK).

The court issued ad-interim injunction, suspended the operation of the letter issued by the PTA on Feb 23 and sought comments from the respondents within a month.

After receiving the comments, the bench will initiate hearing of the case, the order said.

The petitioner contended that the licences issued to other private operators for launching 3G and 4G service was “unlawful authority”. The auction of 3G and 4G spectrum in GB was an attempt by the PTA to restrain the ongoing services on a trial basis being delivered by the petitioner, it maintained.

The bench held that the petitioner’s “apprehensions of an irreparable loss seem to be well founded and turning the prayed injunction down, that too, at the very initial stage will end up making the communication system, which is a brainchild of the petitioner, a Frankenstein for it”.

The court directed the parties to maintain the status quo till the final disposal of the petition.There have been complaints from the users about the SCO’s poor quality and speed of mobile service in the region. Residents have been demanding the telecom authorities allow other cellular firms to operate in the region so that they could exercise their fundamental right to choice of service and ensure quality cellular service in a competitive atmosphere.

The SCO claims that it is facing an annual loss of Rs1 billion due to its limited powers of providing telecom services in AJK and GB only, despite the fact that the government meets all financial needs of the SCO to ensure its smooth operation.

“The SCO takes 80 per cent of the IT ministry’s budget every fiscal year,” said an official from the ministry.

The SCO has been seeking a free licence, tax exemption on its income, assets, turnover and sales and custom duties on imports and exports as well as continued funding from the government.

The SCO was established in 1976 to develop, operate and maintain telecommunications services in AJK and GB. The organisation provides telecom services at 141 locations in AJK and 85 in GB.

 

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Large numbers of trucks coming from China entering Pakistan through Sost Dry Port.

 

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