Multidimensional Challenges of Geo, Social & Economic Reachability: A Step Towards Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

Internet in Pakistan is becoming an area of exponential growth. The global rise in IT infrastructure demands efficient, fast, high-speed internet while offering alternative innovative technologies. In this skyrocket era of rapid development, the most trending communication medium, the internet has been mounting than ever before. With the introduction of 3G & 4G technology, it eliminates multi-dimensional challenges and standouts for growth in evolving economy in terms of Pakistan. However, digital landscape shows there are wide areas with the dense population still unconnected with raising internet. Moreover, to address the multi-dimensional challenges there are development goals defined by Government of Pakistan in its Vision 2025 which are aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development goals (SDGs). All defined goals in the Vision 2025 are interconnected as it envisages Pakistan among the top ten economies of the world by 2047.Internet connectivity is a major area which is given prime importance in the vision. This is because Internet allows access to information, integrates it and uses it for accomplishing targeted goals. Our work will address United Nations sustainable development goals of poverty, good health & wellbeing, quality education, gender equality, sustainable cities and communities. As Pakistan lies in the South Asian region comprising of mountainous, hilly, and plateau areas all of which makes internet connectivity a challenge for Pakistan. Despite of its challenging landscape, various ICT policies are being implemented for effective growth of internet and ICT. These are crucial in the development of knowledge base societies with enhanced education, economic growth, reduced poverty ratio. With the progress in the field of ICT, the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDG) will become easy to accomplish. Government of Pakistan has taken up initiatives for aiding people with improved ICT facilities. The 3G and 4G services in different cities of Pakistan have provided people an access to ICT applications and further will enable people living in rural areas of Pakistan to access services like e-learning, monitoring online banking, telemedicine, health, agriculture.Our idea emphasizes distance-related economic, geo and social connectivity issues underlying in rural areas. As there is huge room for improvement in rural sector by optimizing reachability hindrance. On a broader view, the focused idea will be on minimizing digital connectivity challenge and its trend in the rural sector of Pakistan and devising a framework for provision of internet connectivity in rural areas. In our proposed framework, we have put forward a layered architecture to connect the unconnected people in rural areas. Our aim in this research is to give a layered approach-based framework that will provide internet to underserved rural areas of Pakistan. The framework provided can be improved by technocrats, government and local bodies according to needs of people. Additionally, the framework can be implemented by other countries which experience similar challenges and topography and resources as ours. Moreover, collaborative development plan with low cost, minimal expenditure, maximum reachability is needed. The outcome of research indicates several issues that need to be address in more holistic manner.