KARACHI: Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin Ul Haque has said that technology was changing with every passing day and we have to equip our youth with modern technology as youth are country’s asset, so steps are being taken to connect the youth from country with digital world.
Once the youth are connected with digital world, it would help them to become self-employed as IT involves multi-billion businesses, he said while addressing Academic Performance Recognition Ceremony held here at Mohammad Ali Jinnah University (MAJU) on Saturday.
World is changing fast and we need to introduce our children and students to this changing world through artificial intelligence and digital technology, federal minister uttered. He stressed that we need to harmonise our youth with new technology, and the federal government, IT industry and academia needed to be on one page in this regard. IT related courses should be introduced for students so that they could find jobs in other countries, he said.
Connectivity is the topmost priority of the government and it is because of broadband facility we can connect with the digital world, he said. IT ministry is going to ensure an improved connectivity with 4G, he said, adding that funds amounting to Rs49bn are being spent for improved connectivity in the country. An amount of Rs12.4 billions have been spent for improved connectivity in remote areas of Sindh province, he told, saying that we are serving people across the country without any discrimination of race, colour, sex, language, religion or political affiliations. “Pakistan’s IT industry was rapidly progressing and our IT exports are also increasing.”
He said the exports of IT have increased to $2.8 billion in 2020-2021 from $1.4 from 2019-2020. He said that his ministry has set a target of 70pc exports growth, i.e., $3.5bn for 2022-23. He said that they had increased the number of IT-related projects and majority of projects would be completed soon. Due to better policies announced by PTI-led government, the number of phone subscribers has registered an increase to 18.90 Crore from 16 Crore within last 3 years, he informed. Besides, the broadband subscribers has also witnessed a rise from 7 Crore to 10 Crore, he said.
As part of the Digital Pakistan initiative, all emergency response numbers will be merged into 911 helpline across the country and the ministry has finalized the roadmap for the launch of a unified emergency helpline to be called PEHEL-911, he informed. Parliament to become paperless by January 2023 and all the call attention notices, adjourned motions, attendances, voting and other businesses will be done online through technology, he mentioned.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022