Dr. Umar Saif, the Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technologyand Telecommunications, has expressed his commitment to attracting globalinvestors to participate in a proposed venture capital initiative aimed atsupporting startups. Emphasizing the government’s dedication to fosteringinnovation and entrepreneurship, Dr. Saif also revealed his upcoming visitto Saudi Arabia as part of this endeavor.
Additionally, he unveiled plans to establish 5,000 joint e-working centerstailored to accommodate freelancers, with the primary objective ofgenerating substantial employment opportunities across the country.
In pursuit of these goals, Dr. Umar Saif has championed the provision ofinterest-free loans to facilitate the establishment of joint E-WorkingCenters, thereby supporting freelancers and contributing to job creation ona significant scale. He also highlighted constructive discussions held withCaretaker Finance Minister Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, focused on a comprehensive5-point agenda pertaining to the IT sector. Notably, the deliberationsincluded a detailed examination of the issue of dollar retention within theIT industry, offering promising prospects for the near future.
The strategic initiatives put forth by Dr. Saif aim to not only repatriateoverseas IT accounts to Pakistan but also rekindle investor confidence,enhance the influx of foreign exchange into the country, and immediatelyboost the volume of IT exports. Furthermore, Dr. Umar Saif underscored theimportance of redefining the role of the Pakistan Software Export Board(PSEB) to assist IT companies in accessing international clients andestablishing Pakistan’s presence in the global market.
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He emphasized Pakistan’s unique advantages, such as its skilled ITprofessionals and advantageous time zone, as vital assets in promoting itsIT/ITeS products worldwide. Dr. Saif encouraged collaboration between PSEBand Pakistan’s trade and commerce missions within embassies worldwide,envisioning a prosperous future for the country’s IT exports.
Moreover, Dr. Saif has set ambitious targets for the PSEB, directing themto expedite necessary measures for training 200,000 IT professionals, withthe aim of contributing an impressive $5 billion to the IT export sector.These multifaceted efforts underscore the government’s commitment tonurturing Pakistan’s IT industry, stimulating economic growth, andpositioning the country as a significant player on the global technologystage.
