E/W TELECOMMUNICATIO

closed

The part of the expansion program which will be financed under the credit consists of the installation of a microwave system, local and junction cables and air-conditioning equipment. The microwave system consists of two links, with ancillary equipment, between Karachi and Multan, with one link branching off to Rawalpindi, the other to Lyallpur. The system will add another mode to the existing main coaxial trunkline of West Pakistan, thus increasing the reliability of the network, by providing an alternative mode should one fail. Local and junction exchange cables will also be financed under the credit to enable installation of about 50,000 new telephones, which form part of the telephone network expansion planned under the 1968/69-1971/72 program. At the time of appraisal of the first project it was expected that these cables will be supplied by a local cable factory. The factory is not yet finished; production is expected to start later this year.