KP government signs MoU to establish IT parks

The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Comsat University, Abbottabad and PTCL for establishing Information Technology (IT) parks in provincial metropolis and Abbottabad. The tripartite agreement was signed amongst the Department of Science and Information Technology (SI&IT), Comsat University, Abbottabad and Pakistan Tele-Communication Company Limited (PTCL).
Secretary Science and Information Technology, Mohammad Hamayun Khan, Managing Director IT Board, Shahid Amjad Afridi, Director IT, Mohammad Bilal and a large number of other stakeholders of the sector were present.
Briefing the stakeholders, Managing Director, IT Board, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shahid Amjad Afridi said that under the tripartite agreement the department would establish IT parks in Peshawar and Abbottabad. He said that the provincial government in its annual budget for financial year 2011-12 had allocated an amount of Rs 1 billion for this purpose. The budget he said had been handed over to the IT Board.
Under the MoU, he said that the provincial government would provide subsidized space, electricity and free broadband facility to the investors for opening offices in the IT parks. In Peshawar, he said, the department had initially acquired 25000 square feet space in Deans Trade Centre, which could be expanded up to 80,000 square feet area. In Abbottabad, he said that the IT park would be established at Comsat University.
The objective of the establishment of IT parks, he said was the promotion of investment in IT sector and creation of unemployment opportunities for the skilled workforce of the sector.
He said that companies establishing businesses in the IT parks would be extended 80 percent subsidized space and electricity while internet would be totally free.
The managing director IT board said that for creating awareness about investors regarding procedure for applying, the department would organize seminars in Peshawar and Abbottabad. He said that such kind of agreement would also be signed with investors. The facilities, he said would be provided through one-window operation. He disclosed that a delegation of the experts of IT would also visit Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. He said that the Afghan youths would be given training for opening call centres in Darri and Pashto languages. He said that they would also open an office in Kabul to attract business from Afghanistan.