Pakistan's first mission to space to be sent in 2022, says Fawad

• Fawad said that the upcoming 5G technology will revolutionize the internet in Pakistan.
• Chaudhry stressed on improving relations with the United States on science and technology front.

Pakistan's will sent its first mission to space in 2022, said Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, while urging to brace for the impact of upcoming technology on the economy.

Addressing a Cyber Security Conference in Islamabad, he said 5G technology will revolutionize the internet in Pakistan. “The 5G technology will revolutionize our medium of communication,” he said. The technology will intervene into businesses, for which we need to get prepared with, he said. “We need to focus on how the technology would impact our economy in the coming ten years,” Fawad said.

The minister informed that under his tenure the budget for the ministry was increase by 600 percent. “In the coming ten years, we are focusing on biotechnology, we want four percent of our GDP to be contributed from biotechnology,” he said.

Fawad said that the ministry wants to bring in hi tech industry into zero tax bracket, in order to attract international companies in Pakistan. “At present, we have both political and Human Resource problem,” he said.

Chaudhry stressed on improving relations with the United States on science and technology front.

Earlier, the minister invited South African entrepreneur and Tesla CEO Elon Musk to build his next Gigafactory in Pakistan, highlighting several incentives the country has to offer.

“Dear Elon Musk, your next destination may be Pakistan, 68 percent of the world's population lives within 3.5 hours flight radius from Islamabad, we offer 10 years zero tax facility and custom free import for factory setup, no other country may offer, plus we are world's third biggest freelance software exporters," said Chaudhry in a tweet.