Gilani reaffirms support to information technology sector

Gilani terms development in information technology vital to keep Pakistan competitive in the region.

ISLAMABAD: Information Technology brings in remittances worth US$1.4 billion per annum for Pakistan. These figures were quoted by Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday.

Chairing a high-level meeting of Information Technology Board for the utilization of R&D fund at PM House, he said phenomenal growth of IT was evident with 110 universities in the country offering the discipline of information and communication technology ICT. He said that IT had become a strategic business necessity.

The Prime Minister stressed that government was giving foremost priority to develop IT in view of its importance in today's rapidly growing communication system. Varsities were producing 20,000 ICT graduates annually. Over 125,000 professionals are working professionally in the country, he added. Over 1,000 IT companies, including 60 international were operating in Pakistan.

Prime Minister said developing economies are swiftly moving from industrial to information-based economies. "If we have to compete with economies of the region, we need to rapidly adopt modern IT in our economy."

He said R&D fund be equitably and optimally used for research and human resource.

He expressed confidence that the ICT R&D Fund will be utilized to promote IT in line with government's IT vision.