NA body suggests to start awareness, training programmes

ISLAMABAD, Jan 10 (APP): National Assembly Standing committee
on Information Technology and Telecommunication on Tuesday suggested Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) to organize seminars and training courses for fresh IT graduates, startups and young entrepreneurs.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Capt (R)
Muhammad Safdar.
Member National Assembly Major (R) Tahir Iqbal, Mian Muhammad
Farooq, Mehar Istiaq Ahmad, Farhana Qamar, Zahra Wadood Fatemi,
Shazia Farid, Amjid Ali Khan, Dawar Khan Kundi, Syed Ali Raza Abidi
and Ch. Muhammad Tufail also attended the meeting.
While briefing the committee in detail Managing Director
Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) Asim Shahryar said, “Promotion
of Pakistan’s IT industry is the core activity of Pakistan Software
Export Board (PSEB).
The IT companies have regularly benefited from PSEB
initiatives by attracting valuable business leads, establishing
offices in key foreign locations and signing joint venture
agreements with foreign counterparts.
Asim told the committee that, “PSEB participates proactively
in leading industry events in Europe, North America and the Middle
East and facilitates the Pakistani IT/ITeS Industry by providing
networking opportunities to the business and entrepreneurial
community, these includes GITEX, CeBIT and Meftech etc.”
“In PSEB’s Niche Marketing Program (NMP), the IT industry’s
areas of current strength include animation and gaming, retail
banking and finance, mobile content, medical transcription,
industry-specific ERP, and document management. Target geographies
include,” he said.
He said,”PSEB has leased 47.79 acres of land in Chak Shahzad,
Islamabad to build state of the art IT Park. This land is dedicated
for development of IT Park and is ideally located for desired
facility.”
“In conjunction with stakeholders including , the industry
association, Planning Commission, State Bank of Pakistan, the
IT/ITeS industry and Ministry of Information Technology, PSEB has
developed a vision and a strategic roadmap to fast-track the IT
Industry’s growth” he added.
The committee expressed reservation over less revenue from the
PSEB and suggested to organize seminars, Exchange programmes and
Training programmes for official who qualified for foreign
postings.
CEO National ICT R&D Yusuf Hussain said that,”Prime Minister’s
National ICT Scholarship Programme has been a flagship HRD initiative
of National ICT R&D Fund. Programme’s out-reach to talented students
of underserved areas has made it a true success story.”
“This story reached its climax when the talented youth from
marginalized areas outshined their urban peers in different areas of
academic as well as extracurricular activities. National ICT R&D
Fund is proud of all such heroes who have kept the grace of their
respective native towns through their sheer hard work and
dedication.” he added.