Minister sees big investment in IT sector
KARACHI, January 28,2005:Sindh IT Minister Mustafa Kamal has said the United Kingdom and the United States based investors have targeted Pakistan as an IT territory and billions of dollars are expected to be invested in the IT sector in the next few months.
He was addressing a press conference in connection with the International Conference on “Call Center Investment Opportunities” on Thursday at his office. He was accompanied by Indian delegate Rakesh Gupta, Chairman Astra Netcom, India.
He said the conference would help promoting IT awareness. He said after conducting study and different surveys European and American investors have chosen Pakistani IT sector for investment and fruitful results of the efforts of provincial and federal governments besides private sector would be seen in the next couple of months.
“We can cater to the needs of a foreign investor, that is why we have invited international investors to come and invest in our country”, the minister said adding that, “we are striving to introduce Karachi as a market for foreign and local investors who want to start call centres business in the province and we are committed to provide them infrastructure and better connectivity.”
Kamal informed the government would start a six months training course shortly for 1000 middle class jobless graduates with a cost of Rs50,000 each candidate, to make them call centres agents and tenders in this regard have been invited. He was of the view that Pakistanis can speak English better than people of middle-east countries due to their accent and our youth must avail this God-gifted skill.
He vowed that if the growth of IT business in the province will continue, no graduate would be jobless after three years. He said Sindh IT Ministry Advisory Board has approved a call centre in Karachi, which will be set up in a building with 5000 seating capacity and around 17,000 people would get employment there.
In his address, Rakesh Gupta, Chairman, Astra Netcom, termed the experience of setting up call centres business in his country, ‘very successful’ as it is (call centre) is an effective tool to combat unemployment in the country.
Commenting on the growth rate of call centres he said: “Internationally the growth of call centres is 30 per cent, however, in India it is 50 per cent.” “IT Enable Services (ITES) in India contributes $8 billion annually to the national exchequer”, he added.
Source: The News
Date:1/28/2005
” 
” 
” 
” 
