48 % growth in IT export shows sector’s strength | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

48 % growth in IT export shows sector’s strength

ISLAMABAD – Federal Information Technology Minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari on August 18 said a massive 48 percent growth in the country’s IT exports last year had shown the strength of the IT sector in leading the economic revolution in Pakistan.

This tremendous growth in the IT export reflects the investment-friendly and export-oriented policies to boost the IT sector,” he said in a keynote address at a seminar on “Revolutionising the desktop” organised by ClearCube, an Austin-based company.

Awais said that the government would soon introduce broadband policy to enable potential Internet-users to have access to a modern and quality Internet service at cheaper rates. “Our desire is to provide broadband Internet services round-the-clock for around Rs 500 per month.

The minister said that this unprecedented rise in IT exports had mainly been achieved through a growing confidence by investors in Pakistani market, guidance and help from his team at the Information Technology Ministry and the Pakistan Software Export Board that had been restructured recently to incorporate in its board top professionals from the private and public sectors to gear up efforts for the growth and development of IT sector.

He said Pakistani IT companies had begun to make their presence felt in the international markets and the fact that ClearCube, the Austin-based company, had been using software developed by a Pakistan’s Ten Software Developers was a clear indication of the potential and expertise possessed by local companies to make a mark on the international scene.

He said his ministry was also close to achieving development of software with contents of local languages to enable the Internet users to use Urdu Internet. With this single step, the usage of Internet would grow manifold among the masses.
Source: Business Recorder , Dawn
Date:8/19/2004