Internet facility to be extended to 270 cities, villages: Dr Ata | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Internet facility to be extended to 270 cities, villages: Dr Ata

ISLAMABAD- Federal Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Ata-ur-Rehman has said that the government would extend Internet facility to 270 cities and villages within next two months.

“This would be a vast internet facility and Inshallah this facility would be provided to 400 cities and village up to June next year. This work is done on an emergency basis and we are establishing Internet cafes at various district post offices and petrol stations throughout the country. This would enable the ordinary people to get information from the nearest post office.”, the minister told VOA.

He said that that the government wants to make Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi as the centre for the growth of Internet. He said that there would be software parks and IT universities in these three cities.

“I feel Karachi would be the best-place for this and side by side there would be development in Lahore and Islamabad. We have acquired a whole campus in Abbotabad where IT University would be established. We have reserved three hours for Education Channel from 0900 to 1200 hrs daily. There would be a big virtual IT university with its, head office in Islamabad to speed up the programme, throughout the country.”

He said that there would also be short course of six months on Information Technology and degree programmes for three to four years. This is a very comprehensive plan and it is assisted by a group of Pakistanis in the Silicon Valley consisting of Masud Jabbar, Safi Quereshi and Sohail Abbbasi.

“We have established a strategic advisory Board in New York. We are taking assistance from these people. We are establishing a large number of business incubators, one in San Francisco and another in Singapore so that we can attract business from there in Pakistan.”

Source: Business Recorder
Date:8/28/2000