Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) plan to patrol IT services like 3G/4G in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) by 2018, disclosed by an official.

3G/4G in will fetch socio-economic change and profit those regions situated along China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) routes in AJK and G-B.

PTA has now pursued expressions of interest (EoI) for hiring a consultant or consultancy firm e base price and design of the auction process for next-generation mobile services (NGMS).

Subscribers of 3G/4G have risen to 44.4 million in Pakistan. PTA assumes to see a reasonable number of users in AJK and G-B to receive this service swiftly connect with the rest of the world.

Arrival of 3G/4G can greatly help resolve transportation in the area and ensure better connectivity for all.

Commerce will be increased due to broadband technology. “NGMS will bring an investment of $100 million plus in these areas over the next two to three years,” said IT expert Parvez Iftikhar.

“when I visited Kashmir last year I saw appetite for this modern technology, it will benefit a huge number of tourists of area every year,” said Aslam Javed, a resident of Faisalabad.

AJK and G-B have approved the policy for 3G/4G services and asked PTA to plan for the NGMS spectrum auction.

PTA will hire a local consultant to hold consultation with cellular service providers of Pakistan and relevant AJK and G-B departments for suggesting a base price.

Experts said auctions like this are not an everyday incidence and looking consultant for 3G/4G auction in AJK and G-B is really a challenging task as such consultants.

PTA spokesman said that If PTA cannot find a consultant, it will make a decision by January or February next year without any suggestions from the consultant.