ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Information Technology andTelecommunication Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Thursday said that it isthe topmost priority of the government to digitalize Pakistan.
The Federal Minister was chairing the first meeting of Prime MinisterTaskforce on IT and Telecom at the committee room of the Ministry of IT onThursday.
Secretary Ministry of IT Maroof Afzal was also present in the meeting. DrAtta-ur-Rehman attended the meeting as co-chairman of the PM Taskforce onIT and Telecom.
The Federal Minister said that penetration of fiberization, broadband,mobile phones and smart phones will be enhanced across the country. He saidthat the present government is committed for promotion of informationtechnology in the country.
“We have to take Pakistan towards development and prosperity throughinformation technology,” he said. The meeting decided to declare IT andTelecom sector as industry and to adopt legal process in this regard.
The meeting formulated with consensus three sub-task forces on IT, Telecomand Human Resource Development. These sub-task forces were directed tosubmit their recommendations in six weeks time period.
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Member IT Ministry of IT gave detailed presentation regarding theobjectives and mandate of the Ministry of Information Technology andTelecommunication.
The members of the taskforce also discussed different issues and challangesconfronted by IT and telecom sector in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Atta-ur-Rehman emphasized upon making our ITindustry comply with international standard. He said that innovation andentrepreneurship must be promoted in the IT sector.
The taskforce was also briefed about different programmes launched byMinistry of IT including Digiskills, ICT for Girls through Technology,National ICT Scholarship programme etc. The meeting was told that fivenational incubation centres have been established in different cities underRolling out National Network of Incubators project.
