By Hifsa Raja

ISLAMABAD, July 26: The government is establishing information technology parks and specialised technology zones in universities to help students excel in the high-tech industry.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Pakistan Software Export Board and the Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences to establish a software technology park in the varsity.

Adnan Fayyaz, IT Manager and Web Developer at the City University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar, told WealthPK that building technology parks in the country is a good initiative of the government.

“IT parks and IT zones can inspire students to excel in the high-tech industry. If we want to make an IT park successful for students, we must pay special attention to the exhibition of student projects as it promotes innovation and knowledge economy in the country. Unique ideas should be encouraged, and the government should provide funding to motivate students,” he said.

Adnan Fayyaz stated that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board (KPITB) is also taking initiatives in order to ensure the digital transition by implementing a paperless economy and establishing various IT zones.

He said that an IT zone is being established at the Pak-Austria Fachhochschule Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology (PAF-IAST), Peshawar. “The IT zone at PAF-IAST is a visionary endeavour because it involves various foreign universities. Due to Austria's participation, it will be possible to create a technological zone of the next level, as there will be no finance issues. Both parties have recognised complementary synergies for an exponentially positive outcome,” he said.

Adnan Fayyaz said that a technology park being established in the NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, is a $50-$90 million project that will be completed by 2023. “A technical team consisting of a technology park specialist, an innovation service specialist, and a business development specialist, is assisting in executing of the project,” he continued.

Adnan Fayyaz stated that these activities tend to provide jobs for young people, enhance the development of human capital, encourage innovation and create and promote technology and knowledge ecosystems in Pakistan.

He added that such initiatives would aid in the development of highly-skilled and technically-trained human capital in Pakistan, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, environment energy, agriculture and food technology.

Meanwhile, Agha Hassan Baloch, federal Minister for Science and Technology, met with Syed Aminul Haque, Federal Minister for Information Technology, in Islamabad recently to discuss the IT park project and the laying of a fibre optic cable in Wadh tehsil of Khuzdar district.

On the occasion, Aminul Haque said the IT park project would cost approximately Rs1 billion.

Agha Hassan Baloch stated that Balochistan students need an IT park in order to derive maximum value from it.

He emphasised the rapid development of fibre optic in the Wadh region. He also invited the federal minister to the ground-breaking ceremony of the IT park.

Credits: INP-WealthPk