KARACHI, Dec 03 (APP):Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Syed Ameen-ul-Haq on Friday said Karachi has major share in IT exports and the city has big potential for growth in IT industry.
Speaking at a meeting with members of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Chamber, the Minister emphasized that the nation as a whole should be more responsive to fast IT developments in the world.
He regretted that even at big institutions of the country, the pace of digitalization and innovations was very slow.
He said his ministry was very aggressively pursuing the Prime Minister’s vision of “ Digital Pakistan”.
The target was the spread of IT facilities and their productive use in every nook
and corner of the country. Strong connectivity and broad-banding was
the need of the hour and the business community could be the major
player in this mission as they were lead users of IT.
He said the government had also announced the mobile manufacturing policy which would prove very helpful to strengthen the IT industry of the country.
He mentioned that India was much ahead in IT sector and its IT export was over dollars 50 billion during last fiscal year.
The IT Minister said in 2018 the country’s IT export was only $ 995 million, which was increased to $ 1.4 billion in next year and in 2020-21 the figure rose to $ 2/1 billion. The target for the current fiscal year set at $ 3.5 billion and for 2023 it was $ 8 billion.
Syed Ameen-ul-Haq said it was dire to give advanced trainings to the youth in modern technologies.
He said the government’s had focused on many new markets to increase IT export, which included Middle East and European states.
For branding and marketing Rupees six billion had been allocated by his ministry.
He said mega data centre was being set up in Karachi with completion deadline of June 2022.
He said two national incubator centers were being set up – one each in Hyderabad and Faisalabad.
He invited suggestions from KCCI for better decisions and planning to swiftly promote the use of IT in trade and industrial sectors.
He assured maximum cooperation to the trade bodies of the country including Karachi Chamber in resolution of IT related issues.
The Minister responded to queries of KCCI members and assured more interaction with them in future.
Chairman, Businessmen Group in KCCI and former president KCCI, M.Zubair Motiwala, Vice Chairman BMG and former SVP Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, President KCCI Muhammad Idress, Senior Vice President Abdul Rehman Naqi, former presidents of the chamber Majyed Aziz and Iftikhar Vohra were the prominent business leaders.
They highlighted different issues, gave suggestions and assured full cooperation for promotion of IT and to increase its exports as well.
