Further cut in Internet rates promised
KARACHI- Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Dr Atta-ur-Rahman has said that as a result of the agreement reached in the United States, Pakistan will get 50 million dollars for the promotion of Information Technology (IT).
The Minister also disclosed that Internet rates will be further reduced in the country during next few weeks and that more than 80 per cent will be, having access to Internet.
Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, while answering the questions by local and foreign participants at a workshop on Sustainable Use of Medicinal and Food Plants Sunday, said Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf’s visit to US had proved very fruitful in respect to the Information Technology.
“At the Millennium Conference we held meetings with IT experts from all over the United States which led to signing of an agreement worth $ 50 million and this amount will be used for making the country’s information technology sector viable,” he said.
This is for the first time that such a big investment is being made in IT sector of the country, he added.
He said in order to boost the IT. He had meetings with MIT in Bostin and APCNA and other companies in Washington and these remained very successful.
He stated that they were on talks with the company, which is the founder of Website in the world to seek its help in promoting the software and IT in the country.
He disclosed that a Geneva based company namely the CERN which is involved in research of the universe has also agreed to set up its Computech Centre in Pakistan and an institution would be set up at Islamabad for the purpose. Meanwhile, institutions would be set up to create more experts in physics, chemistry, engineering and medical etc., in the country, he said.
Dr Atta-ur-Rahman said he had delivered agreements were being signed with a big Brazil based company regarding the research on various research issues and hoped that it would go a long way in promoting the research activities in Pakistan
Source: The Nation
Date:9/18/2000
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