Technically sound : 2016, the year of technology

PESHAWAR:

The K-P government has declared 2016 as the year of technology in the province.

This was announced by Minister for Information Technology Shahram Khan Tarakai during a press conference at the health department on Wednesday. Tarakai was accompanied by K-P IT Secretary Zafar Ali Shah and World Bank representative Anna.



He said IT parks were functional in the provincial capital and Abbottabad, adding plans were afoot to set up similar facilities in Kohat and all divisional headquarters. The aim is to provide youth with the opportunity to start their own businesses and link with others across the globe.

More summits

Tarakai stated the department planned to hold another Digital Youth Summit, art-tech festival and other programmes to promote Pakistani products. He stated the youth would be trained on how to develop ideas into a business model. The minister told the media the government was focusing on the youth since it constituted 60% to 65% of the population. Tarakai added students would be trained in web designing and start-ups.

Connecting universities

The minister also stated the department planned to connect universities so they could communicate, adding the Information Technology Board and World Bank will be providing technical assistance.

“Not only the government, but also the business community will be involved so that investment comes from that end. Foreign investors will also be encouraged,” Tarakai revealed.

The minister stated his department planned to turn to a paperless environment since a biometric system had been introduced to upload data directly to computers. This enables authorities to monitor matters even if not in office.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2015.