ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar issued instructions on Wednesday to create a policy framework to draw top information technology experts from various parts of the world to strengthen the sector in Pakistan while observing it could help boost the national economy.
The government has taken several initiatives in recent months to develop the IT sector to attract foreign investment, create greater employment opportunities and position the country as a competitive player in the global tech industry.
Among these initiatives is the country’s decision to set up Special Technology Zones (STZs) that will offer a number of incentives like tax exemptions along with the necessary infrastructure and connectivity support to facilitate IT companies and professionals with their work.
Kakar highlighted the potential of the information technology sector while chairing the fifth meeting of the Board of Governors of Special Technology Zones Authority held in Islamabad.
“The Prime Minister said that the IT sector can play a key role in the country’s economy,” said a statement circulated by his office after the meeting. “He directed to make necessary policies to attract IT experts from all over the world to Pakistan for the development and promotion of IT in the country.”
He told the participants of the meeting that the government had taken steps to promote foreign investment in the IT sector, adding that significant progress had already been made in the area.
The meeting also focused on issues related to the establishment and working of Special Technology Zones in the country.
Pakistan’s IT sector captured the attention of the authorities after local startups began to display notable performance in recent years by getting significant international funding, reflecting growing investor confidence in the potential of the country’s tech market and its entrepreneurs.
These startups have been thriving in various sectors such as e-commerce, fintech, health-tech, ed-tech, and logistics.
The government, in recent months, has also tried to explore various markets for the country’s IT exports while focusing primarily on the Middle East and Gulf countries.
Pakistan PM calls for global information technology expert recruitment to boost national economy
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Pakistan PM calls for global information technology expert recruitment to boost national economy
- Kakar highlights progress as the government tries to promote foreign investment in Pakistan’s IT sector
- The PM and his team discuss issues related to the establishment, functioning of Special Technology Zones
ADB, Pakistan sign over $300 million agreements to undertake climate resilience initiatives
- Pakistan ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change and has seen erratic changes in weather patterns
- The projects in Sindh and Punjab will restore nature-based coastal defenses and enhance agricultural productivity
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed more than $300 million agreements to undertake two major climate resilience initiatives, Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID) said on Tuesday.
The projects include the Sindh Coastal Resilience Sector Project (SCRP), valued at Rs50.5 billion ($180.5 million), and the Punjab Climate-Resilient and Low-Carbon Agriculture Mechanization Project (PCRLCAMP), totaling Rs34.7 billion ($124 million).
Pakistan ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change and has seen erratic changes in its weather patterns. In 2022, monsoon floods killed over 1,700 people, displaced another 33 million and caused over $30 billion losses, while another 1,037 people were killed in floods this year.
The South Asian country is ramping up climate resilience efforts, with support from the ADB and World Bank, and investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, particularly in vulnerable areas.
“Both sides expressed their commitment to effectively utilize the financing for successful and timely completion of the two initiatives,” the PID said in a statement.
The Sindh Coastal Resilience Project (SCRP) will promote integrated water resources and flood risk management, restore nature-based coastal defenses, and strengthen institutional and community capacity for strategic action planning, directly benefiting over 3.8 million people in Thatta, Sujawal, and Badin districts, according to ADB.
The Punjab project will enhance agricultural productivity and climate resilience across 30 districts, improving small farmers’ access to climate-smart machinery, introducing circular agriculture practices to reduce residue burning, establishing testing and training facilities, and empowering 15,000 women through skills development and livelihood diversification.
Earlier this month, the ADB also approved $381 million in financing for Pakistan’s Punjab province to modernize agriculture and strengthen education and health services, including concessional loans and grants for farm mechanization, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, and nursing sector reforms.
