Internet gaining popularity even in remote areas
KARACHI- The Internet is rapidly gaining popularity even in the far-flung areas of the country, which speaks of its immense potential.
This was stated by Moin Haider Zaidi, Coordinator of the Sustainable Development Networking Programme (SNDP) while talking to this agency.
However, he pointed out, there are only five internet lines in the whole of Makran Division which is not sufficient to cater to the growing demand in the area.
Keeping in view the growing demand on the part of the people of the area the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has been approached and apprised about this with the request that steps be initiated for the provision of more Internet lines for the area so that more and more people could benefit from it.
Zaidi said that the people of Gwadar especially the younger ones are very keen to learn and benefit from the computers as well as the Internet.
He pointed out that the first Cyber Community Centre (CCC) in the country has recently been established at Gwadar, Balochistan.
This has been set up by the SNDP a joint project of the World Conservation Union (lUCN) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with a local NGO-Rural Community Development Council (RCDC).
The CCC was inaugurated by the Balochistan Minister for Social Welfare Department Ms. Roshan Khursheed Barocha, on April 18.
The project not only envisages the training pertaining to computer and Internet but the community has also been involved in the exercise.
Zaidi said that the project would benefit the people of the area, as they would be having access to information available on the Internet.
The local population would also be able to communicate with the rest of the country and the world using the CCC facility.
Zaidi informed that the second CCC would be set up at Mithi in Tharparkar in the near future. This project will be taken up in collaboration with the Baanh Beli.
Later, another CCC would also be set up in a village in Kohat area in collaboration with an organization- Al-Asar Academy.
Zaidi was optimistic that such steps would contribute a lot towards further popularizing the computers and Internet in the remote areas of the country so that they could keep pace with the rest of the world.
Source: The Nation
Date:4/24/2001
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