Punjab will receive $70 million in financing from the World Bank to expand broadband internet access, improve digital public services, and accelerate the adoption of cashless payments under the Connected Punjab Programme.
The funding, approved through the International Development Association (IDA), forms part of a broader $278 million initiative, with the Punjab government contributing the remaining $208 million.
According to the World Bank, the programme is designed to accelerate Punjab’s digital transformation by expanding internet connectivity, modernizing government services, and attracting greater private sector investment in digital infrastructure.
A major focus of the project is removing regulatory bottlenecks that delay broadband rollout. The programme aims to reduce the average processing time for Right of Way (RoW) permits from 90 days to 21 days, helping increase fixed broadband coverage from 7.8 million people to 9.9 million by June 2031. It also seeks to mobilize at least $50 million in private investment in digital infrastructure.
The initiative will strengthen the province’s digital backbone by upgrading government computing infrastructure and supporting the deployment of AI-enabled public services across provincial departments.
By 2031, the programme is expected to provide improved digital public services to 28.9 million people while increasing the share of women using digital government services from 19 percent to 30 percent.
Another key objective is expanding digital payments across the province. Punjab plans to roll out a Digital Invoice Management System and interoperable payment infrastructure to support secure cashless transactions, with a target of reaching 350,000 active digital payment users by June 2031.
The Connected Punjab Programme complements the federal government’s Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP), which is developing Pakistan’s national digital public infrastructure. Together, the two initiatives aim to improve internet access, expand digital government services, and strengthen Pakistan’s digital economy.
