IT exports fetch $800 million
KARACHI (August 11 2007): Country’s information technology (IT) sector exports have reached 800 million dollars and the industry size has touched new peak of two billion-dollar. This was disclosed by Federal Minster for Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunication Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari here on Friday.
Talking to newsmen at Expo Centre during the ITCN Asia 2007 international exhibition, he said that Pakistan was making efforts to expand its co-operation with the US and other countries for the development of its IT sector. About joint ventures with India in the IT field, he said that Pakistan was also willing to establish close network with the neighbouring country, but its government was creating hurdles.
“We want good relations with India, but some political reservations and the Indian government’s lack of response was hampering the process of establishing IT-linked ties,” he added. Both countries could benefit from each other’s resources, as India had sound IT professionals, whereas Pakistan possessed huge manpower, he said, and added close co-ordination in this field would help their industries thrive.
He announced that IT-related universities of the country would be brought into an index, according to which the government would provide support to them. He observed that the country was badly lacking in the IT professionals despite a huge demand of professionals in the country’s growing IT sector.
Awais said that this sector was thriving rapidly, as development of this sector was on the government’s list, and predicted tremendous growth in this sector during the next 60 years. He said that about 80 million youth under the age of 18 was associated with the IT profession, which signified its growth across the country.
Earlier speaking at the ITCN exhibition, the minister said the country was faced with acute shortage of IT professional. He added that 0.5 million IT professionals could be provided with employment annually, and regretted that despite such a big opportunity, the IT professionals were not coming up.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:8/11/2007
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