ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), in collaboration with Huawei Technologies and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), inaugurated the third Smart Village in Swabi, aiming to expand digital access and services to remote areas.
The Smart Village initiative, already piloted in Gokina and Sambrial, seeks to reduce the rural-urban digital divide by offering digital education, healthcare, and training services to underserved communities. The Swabi facility will focus particularly on training women and farmers in basic digital literacy, e-commerce, online marketing, and digital financial tools.
Speaking at the event, Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja emphasised the need for equitable digital access, noting the government’s broader strategy to extend education and healthcare to remote regions using digital platforms. She also highlighted plans to introduce 5G technology and technology parks to drive innovation across sectors.
“The Swabi Smart Village will serve as a model for how digital tools can be used to deliver essential services and create economic opportunities in rural areas,” she said, reiterating the government’s push for digital identity access for all citizens.
ITU’s Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava described the project as a practical example of how digital innovation can support inclusive development, while Huawei Pakistan’s Deputy CEO Ahmed Bilal Masood called the initiative a “step towards bridging the digital divide.”
Implementation partners include TeleTaleem (digital education), Sehat Kahani (telehealth services), and Baidarie (community engagement), each contributing to the village’s operational model. The program aims to serve as a replicable framework for future digital development in Pakistan’s rural areas.
