The Federal Government has decided to establish the Information Technology (IT) City in Karachi, said the IT and Telecommunication Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Friday. The minister was addressing the representatives of IT sector on his visit to Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI). This decision, the federal minister said is first step towards the 'digital Pakistan'.
"We have decided to establish an IT city, besides setting up an special economic zone in the metropolis" he said adding discussions in this regard are underway with Chinese and Korean companies. The place is being finalized within the next one and a half week.
Unlike other provincial capitals, the federal government is facing big issues in Karachi when it comes to execution of any project, Khalid deplored. He informed that his ministry is coming up with a new IT policy-2019, and that he has visited FPCCI to seek recommendations and proposals from the stakeholders. He was optimistic that 2019 is the beginning of IT revolution in Pakistan. We will formulate the policy in such as way that its targets will be fulfilled in 2020.
The first step towards a digital Pakistan is to enforce an IT education emergency in the country. "Perhaps, we will not be able to digitize Pakistan by teaching our students the 1990s' curriculum." he said.
The functions of Virtual University are being enhanced with a vision to impart the sophisticated digital education amongst the youth. The 2nd priority is to ensure broadband and mobile phone penetration even in the unserved areas right from Rawalpindi to Gwadar, work is going on steadfastly.
The third step is to work for reducing mobile phone prices to enhance their penetration by 3 to 4 time from the existing figure, besides creating favourable environment for their manufacturing and assembling in the country. He said the Pakistani IT sector diaspora is ready to come back which is a great omen for the country's future.
"The world is changing rapidly," only the digitalized societies will have a great future. IT sector has played great role in poverty alleviation in different counties. He exemplified the neighbouring China's poverty that has amazingly reduced from 40 percent 20 years back to just 0.5 percent, now. Similarly, India has reduced poverty from 50 percent to just 15 percent during the same period.
It is the only sector which can change the fortune of nation. If we have to, we need to rely on indigenous human capital, with enhancing their academic and professional expertise as par with the contemporary global needs. FPCCI president Daroo Khan Achakzai and the IT sector representatives put forward their recommendations and proposals on this occasion.
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