Cash reward for IT exporters: Ministry, P@SHA not on same page

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) are not on the same page over the proposed introduction of an alternative scheme to cash reward for IT exporters.

The government is mulling to introduce an alternative scheme to cash reward for IT exporters.

Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja chaired the first meeting of the Functional Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication held here on Monday.

Secretary IT Captain Muhammad Mahmood (retd) was also present in the meeting. Member IT Syed Junaid Imam, Member Telecom Muhammad Jahanzeb Rahim, and authorities from the Finance Division, Ministry of Commerce, State Bank of Pakistan, P@SHA and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) participated in the meeting.

Secretary General P@SHA Nadeem Malik briefed the chair about cash reward scheme for the IT industry. The meeting deliberated upon bringing a scheme alternative to cash reward for IT exporters. A committee was formed to mull over bringing scheme in place of cash reward for the IT industry.

The committee members include Member IT Syed Junaid Imam, Secretary General P@SHA Nadeem Malik, and a representative from State Bank of Pakistan.

However, talking to Business Recorder, Chairman P@SHA Muhammad Zohaib Khan said that it is a big demand of the industry to continue cash reward for IT exporters. Other industries like textile gets more incentives and the same should be continued for the IT sector to attract people and bring dollars to the country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024