Internet for Gilgit-Baltistan


Online lectures and exams amid Corona pandemic sparked a raucous debate about digital divide and poor data services in the country ,especially in the peripheral and difficult terrain Gilgit-Baltistan. The LTE and broadband internet in Gilgit-Baltistan is solely dependent upon an army owned Telecommunication operator named as Special Communication Organization (SCO).

The telecom giant SCO has failed so far to live up to the expectations of the populace. The students of GB in dismay staged protests against SCO in various districts of Gilgit-Baltistan. It is said that other telecom operators are restrained to provide LTE services in the region due to monopoly of SCO. The popular narrative of students is to allow other telecom companies to step into the spectrum to provide LTE services. Though they only provide voice services.

To unearth the truth about SCO's monopoly one has to unveil the history .In 1976,SCO was given the sole responsibility of managing telecommunication in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. It's authority was preserved through Section 40 of the 1996 Pakistan Telecommunication Act, initially promulgated through the 1994 Pakistan Telecommunication Ordinance.


SCO under this law do possesses the exclusive rights to dominate over Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir. Moreover SCO filed a petition in April 2018 under Article 71 of the 2009 Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order, challenging the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) decision of issuing licenses to cellular networks in February 2018 for launching 3G and 4G spectrum in the mountainous region.

The Gilgit-Baltistan Council, PTA, Frequency Allocation Board and the Gilgit-Baltistan government were made as respondents, with the claim that SCO had the monopoly to provide the said services in the region.SCO remained successful to maintain it's position even in court. Therefore the hue and cry about monopoly of SCO is futile until and unless the law is amended.

There is yet another issue in amendment of this section 40 ,provided the disputed status of Gilgit-Baltistan.Though PTA cannot exercise it's authority to push SCO in the region yet SCO protect it's rights under the provisions of authority.

Hence, the question of internet for Gilgit-Baltistan remains unanswered till date, provided SCO improves itself by swapping out-dated telecom equipment with new, proper network planning and optimization. Replacing Optical Fiber ,Adding sector antennas where needed. Installation of new sites to expand capacity and coverage. Launching new tools for network surveillance.Induction of expert professionals to monitor real time telecom network can diminish Network Retainability, Mobility and Integrity issues.These are the grey areas SCO needs to work on to ensure customer centricity and agility


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