As a consultant on ICT (Information & Communication Technology) Policy and Regulation, I advise Governments, Telecom Administrations & Regulators in developing economies.
It’s my passion that the fruits of ICTs should reach everyone on the planet – rich or poor, far or near.
My love affair with ICT-for-All started in 2007 when I joined the newly formed Universal Service Fund (USF) Pakistan as its founding CEO. Worldwide, the USFs help bridge the digital divide by funding ICT services where private sector service providers do not find it viable.
As CEO USF, I raised the new USF Pakistan from it’s very beginning. In parallel, I started getting the ICT infrastructure deployed in the “unserved” areas thru private-sector telcos. Mainly the infrastructure included optic fibre cables & wireless telecom towers. Soon USF Pakistan came to be known as a Model USF – because, at that time, similar universal service programs in other countries were not succeeding in achieving the objectives.
Earlier, as country-head of the multinational Siemens Telecom in Pakistan, I acquired & executed multi-million-dollar projects, which also involved technology transfers. During my tenure, Siemens Pakistan telecom business revenues increased 10-fold in 7 yrs (in my last year, exceeded Euro 300 Mln). In the process, I hired & trained hundreds of local engineers, built service teams, and used them in-country as well as exported services outside Pakistan.
Currently, as an international consultant on ICT Policy & Regulation, I provide consulting services mainly thru global development organizations like World Bank, ITU, USAID, ADB, DFID/FCDO, CTO, A4AI, as well as several European/US private consulting firms.
To pay back to my home country, Pakistan, I work on a pro-bono basis. Such work includes advising/mentoring/coaching the youth on ICT-related topics. Eg:
Together with some other like-minded volunteers, I help to run the yearly Pakistan School on Internet Governance (PkSIG), as Chairperson of PkSIG Steering Committee.
I am often co-opted as a member of various Government committees & task forces on ICT policy matters.
I also serve on Boards of philanthropic organisations primarily related to children’s education (especially girls).
I’ve been on sabbaticals at Kennedy School Harvard Univ, Carnegie Mellon Univ, Oxford Univ, ICC (UK), EUROSSIG (Germany), & NDU (Islamabad), besides extensive Siemens management & technical training mainly in Europe.
