PTA helps in track and quarantine during COVID-19 pandemic

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) highest priority, in the days of COVID-19 pandemic, is to facilitate in track and quarantine the nation.

PTA helps in track and quarantine during COVID-19 pandemic

PTA has described its commitment by effectively taking advantage of digital technologies for public awareness via trace, track and quarantine (TTQ), helping funds distribution to needy via Ehsaas programme, and through public donations in Prime Minister’s COVID-19 Relief Fund .

To raise awareness regarding coronavirus, the PTA ordered cellular mobile operators (CMOs) to send awareness texts to subscribers all over Pakistan.

Internet access is proving to be one of the most important non-medical commodity right now. It is via internet and mobile service that keep nation connected.

Many become able to work from home and while schools were closed but students are still learning through online tools and instructions.

PTA is facilitating e-education and distant learning programs with the help of the Federal Ministry of Education and Higher Education Commission (HEC).

In this context, the PTA collaborating with HEC to help and ensure online education. Meetings are also being held between the PTA, HEC and mobile service operators for the initiative of Taleemi Bundle to support students for distant learning and online classes.

To increase awareness regarding TeleSchool – Pakistan’s first education channel for students and a combined project of Pakistan Television (ptv) and the Ministry of Education, 93.15 million SMS messages have been sent.

To help operations of educational institutions, and call centers, etc 120 IPs have been functional since March 2020,19. The PTA has also accommodated 14 different shortcodes and 6 UAN (Toll-Free) numbers to Government entities working in tackling the pandemic.

The PTA’s efforts to meet the challenges given by COVID-19 will be going in full speed ahead. In future, the PTA will continue to make efforts to achieve goals set under the SDGs as it has done in past through the use of enabling ICTs for the empowerment of marginalized segments of society and women, in specifically ; growth and development of reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, supporting economic development, human well-being with a focus on affordable access.

The overarching goal of this year’s WTISD theme is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of ICTs can bring to economies especially to the vulnerable segments of the society.