IT regulatory authority in the offing, says minister
Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Tuesday underscored the need of an IT regulatory authority with a vision to enhance IT education standard in the country. “Establishment of a regulatory authority is under consideration to modernize information technology. An announcement in this regard will be made soon,” he said, speaking at the inauguration of the 18th ITCN Asia IT & Telecom Show and Fire and Safety Asia at Karachi Expo Centre.
He said the ITCN Asia exhibition has importance for promotion of information technology. He lamented there had been many IT growth opportunities for Pakistan since 1990 but all were lost. The minister said the growth of Karachi is the key to country’s prosperity. “A digital Karachi is first step towards the digital Pakistan,” he said.
Khalid Maqbool said that Pakistan can only compete in the world by adopting modern information technology. He said it is aim of the government to digitalize Karachi and expand it across the country. He hinted that the government would provide free WiFi connections for students in order to promote healthy activities. Responding to a query, he asserted Pakistan is peace-loving country and it mist not be taken as weakness.
“Pakistan has been blamed for extremism but fact has it India made an extremist as a prime minister,” he said.
After inauguration, federal minister visited various halls and also spoke at a conference on ‘Role of IT and Challenges in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.’
On the occasion, Umair Nizam, Vice President, E-Commerce Gateway Pakistan informed that over 600 international brands would attract visitors.
He said around 250 delegates representing 600 international companies were attending the Fire and Safety Exhibition. He said that over 150,000 visitors are expected at six halls of the Expo Centre.
It is worth mentioning that deals worth $100 million were signed at the 17th ITCN Asia.
At the exhibition important conferences on the topic of changes in the IT sector are being held. These conferences will be jointly organized by E-Commerce Gateway Pakistan and Centre for Information and Communication Technology, Institute of Business Administration (IBA).
The organizers expect more foreign investors will attend this year exhibition.
Umair Nizam said government of Pakistan, Pakistan Securities Agencies Association, Fire Protection Association and Pakistan Institute of Management are strategic partners of said exhibitions. He said ITCN Asia was being organized in collaboration of IBA. The exhibition will also hold conferences on digital security, E-commerce summit, CEOs forum for Pakistan Software Export Board, etc.
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