Pakistan - Connected Punjab Program

Overview & Synopsis

The objective of the Connected Punjab Program for Pakistan is to increase access to broadband internet in Punjab, improve digital service delivery, and enhance cashless transactions. The Program is aligned with both the Digital Pakistan vision and the Punjab Growth Strategy’s focus on leveraging digital for economic growth, inclusion and job creation. By enabling the deployment of fiber-optic infrastructure, the Program enables greater Internet use, a key enabler of economic transformation and job creation. Improved service delivery to both businesses and citizens further contribute to growth and job creation by improving the investment climate and opening inclusive job opportunities. Digital services that boost human development can improve livelihoods and formal employment prospects. The Program will contribute to the achievement of two outcome areas: (i) increased productive private investment (outcome 6) by enabling private sector investments in the rollout of new fixed broadband connections and increased productivity of the private sector small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and micro-enterprises; and (ii) more public resources for inclusive development (outcome 5) by promoting formalization and a cashless economy through nonconventional point of sales (PoS) transactions and enhancing revenue collection capability of the provincial government. The Program will also enable the provision of broadband services to health and education facilities and digital services to other public facilities such as administrative offices, or courts, which indirectly supports the achievement CPF outcome 1 (Reduced child stunting), and outcome 2 (Reduced learning poverty). Moreover, the program directly contributes to the crosscutting area of CPF on connecting communities. The Program is also aligned with the strategic objectives of the new WBG’s Digital Strategy (2025), particularly its pillars focused on access, ecosystem, and AI readiness.