ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Caretaker Information Technology (IT) Minister Umar Saif said on Sunday that his country was hoping for “greater success” at the annual LEAP tech conference in Saudi Arabia this week, amid the South Asian country’s push to grow local IT industry in the Middle East.
The LEAP 2024 conference is scheduled to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from March 3 till March 7. The global event serves as a meeting point for regional and international tech professionals, enterprises and experts, providing them a chance to network and secure lucrative contracts from regional and global tech giants.
Pakistan, faced with an economic slowdown, has been making aggressive efforts to grow its IT industry in the Middle East to attract much-needed foreign investment to support the dwindling $350 billion South Asian economy.
Earlier this week, Excellence Delivered (ExD), a Pakistani IT enterprise, secured the highly coveted SAP RISE implementation contract with the prestigious Middle East Specialized Cables (MESC) in Riyadh.
“Our push for growing Pakistan’s IT industry in the middle-east is producing great results,” Saif said on X, reacting to the development. “Onwards and upwards! Hoping for even greater success with the LEAP conference this week.”
Established in 1993, MESC is a leading manufacturer of industrial, instrumentation and process control cables, with manufacturing facilities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The ExD said it clinched the prestigious project after “fierce competition” from regional and global players.
Earlier this week, Pakistani tech companies discovered “promising leads” at the recently concluded Web Summit in the Qatari capital of Doha that would lead to an increase in business collaboration between entrepreneurs in the two countries, the head of the Pakistani software houses association said.
Entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders from around the world converged in central Doha to participate in the four-day-long Web Summit 2024. Over 100 Pakistani delegates attended what was one of the world’s biggest tech conferences to showcase the country’s tech potential and interact with their global counterparts, sharing best practices and cutting-edge ideas.
“Several Pakistanis participated in startup rounds, where many found promising leads which will now materialize after further discussions and providing project papers and other details,” Muhammad Zohaib Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), told Arab News on Thursday.
Khan, who attended the conference in Doha, said some Pakistani delegates extended their stay in the Gulf country to further discuss and work on the leads they had found during the event.
Pakistan hopes for ‘greater success’ at LEAP conference in Riyadh amid push to grow local IT industry — minister
https://arab.news/gnsee
Pakistan hopes for ‘greater success’ at LEAP conference in Riyadh amid push to grow local IT industry — minister
- The LEAP 2024 conference, to be held in Riyadh on March 3-7, will bring together thousands of tech professionals, firms and experts
- Pakistan, faced with economic slowdown, is making aggressive efforts to grow its IT industry to attract much-needed foreign investment
Customs seize narcotics, smuggled goods, vehicles worth $4.9 million in southwest Pakistan
- Customs seize 22.14 kg narcotics, consignments of smuggled betel nuts, Hino trucks, auto parts, says FBR
- Smuggled goods enter Pakistan’s Balochistan province from neighboring countries Iran and Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Customs seized narcotics, smuggled goods and vehicles worth a total of Rs1.38 billion [$4.92 million] in the southwestern Balochistan province on Tuesday, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said in a statement.
Customs Enforcement Quetta seized and recovered 22.14 kilograms of narcotics and consignments of smuggled goods comprising betel nuts, Indian medicines, Chinese salt, auto parts, a ROCO vehicle and three Hino trucks in two separate operations, the FBR said. All items cost an estimated Rs1.38 billion, it added.
Smuggled items make their way into Pakistan through southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan.
“These operations are part of the collectorate’s intensified enforcement drive aimed at curbing smuggling and dismantling illegal trade networks,” the FBR said.
“All the seized narcotics, goods and vehicles have been taken into custody, and legal proceedings under the Customs Act 1969 have been formally initiated.”
In the first operation, customs officials intercepted three containers during routine checking at FEU Zariat Cross (ZC) area. The containers were being transported from Quetta to Pakistan’s Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, the FBR said.
The vehicles intercepted included three Hino trucks. Their detailed examination led to the recovery of the smuggled goods which were concealed in the containers.
In the second operation, the staff of the Collectorate of Enforcement Customs, Quetta, intercepted a ROCO vehicle at Zariat Cross area with the local police’s assistance.
The driver was interrogated while the vehicle was searched, the FBR said.
“During interrogation, it was disclosed that drugs were concealed inside the spare wheel at the bottom side of the vehicle,” it said.
“Upon thorough checking, suspected narcotics believed to be heroin was recovered which was packed in 41 packets, each weighing 0.54 kilograms.”
The narcotics weighed a total of 22.14 kilograms, with an estimated value of Rs1.23 billion in the international market, the FBR concluded.
“The Federal Board of Revenue has commended the Customs Enforcement Quetta team for their effective action and reiterated its firm resolve to combat smuggling, illicit trade and illegal economic activities across the country,” it said.
