By Amir Khan

The government has launched about 70 projects to connect the residents of different areas of Pakistan through digitisation. An official from Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication told WealthPK that the projects were launched by the ministry through the Universal Service Fund (USF). The schemes of optical fibre cable (OFC) and broadband infrastructure development are meant to connect the residents of all four provinces of the country through digitisation. He said that Rs65 billion would be utilised for completion of the projects. “Only in Sindh province, 20 projects of NGBSD and OFC worth Rs16.3 billion have been launched so far in 20 districts including Tharparkar, Nawabshah, Khairpur, Larkana, Badin, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Mirpurkhas and Dadu,” the official said.

He said that projects of connectivity of the un-served and under-served communities of Balochistan, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also been launched. The Ministry through USF aims to connect all the citizens of the country as digitalisation has become a priority for businesses and communities. About the Karachi IT Park, the official said that it would be a gateway for an innovative future and a strengthened economy. “Karachi IT Park is the largest project of its kind in Pakistan. It will benefit not only the citizens of Karachi but also the IT professionals and companies of Sindh and the rest of Pakistan,” he added.

He said that IT parks across the country would provide a place where innovative businesses could develop and prosper in a favourable environment. Most software technology/IT parks provide ample space for business development. Governments all over the world often invest in these technology parks to boost their regional and national economies. The official said that technology parks must comply with basic infrastructure requirements such as clean facilities and ample working space. The parks are also equipped with the latest technology and telecommunication facilities that make it easy to establish and manage a business.

He said that the range of services offered by the parks is closely linked to the functions that they have to fulfil. The benefits of the technology parks are not limited to enterprises and tenants of the parks, but companies outside the parks could also benefit from them. The benefits of technology parks include a boost in the knowledge-based economy, entrepreneurship and the latest technologies, he told WealthPK.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk