Pakistan on IT bandwagon

Alvi calls for enhancing quality human resources in IT industry

ISLAMABAD:

Owing to the youth bulge, Pakistan will quickly jump on the information technology bandwagon to achieve fast economic development as well as fulfill market needs for human capital, emphasised President Dr Arif Alvi.

Addressing the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) IT Awards 2022 ceremony, the president called for increasing quality human resources in the IT sector.

“It is not only essential for local needs, but also for catering to the demand of world markets,” he said.

Though late, Pakistan had joined the tech race to fill the wide gap between demand and supply as the human capital was unable to analyse the available data earlier and take corrective steps, he said.

He emphasised that owing to the youth bulge, Pakistan’s importance had grown in the current digital era, adding that Pakistani IT entrepreneurs in the Silicon Valley had frequently mentioned the dire need for quality human resources.

Speaking about different initiatives, he mentioned that the current government had announced incentives for the IT sector and also ensured immediate resolution of the issues faced by the IT industry.

“No past government can compete with the facilitation provided by the current government for the business community,” he remarked.

Due to the government’s business-friendly policies, Alvi mentioned, the textile sector revived, farmers received an additional Rs1.1 trillion and the industrial sector earned around Rs900 billion extra.

The IT sector should forge linkages with the academia to help create jobs as well as fulfill market needs, the president said.

Around 2.2 million students joined the course on digital skills, which was announced by the government, he pointed out, adding that the beneficiaries were earning a handsome amount.

Highlighting the gap between market needs and skills, he reiterated the need for creating linkages between the IT sector and the academia, otherwise the sector would face severe shortage of human resources.

The president, who earlier distributed awards among the entrepreneurs including the businesswomen for successfully running IT ventures, said that the IT sector was playing a key role in women empowerment by allowing them to work while being at home.

He also urged the IT companies to encourage women’s involvement in the sector.

“No other sector can bring economic revival like the IT sector,” he remarked and voiced hope that Pakistan would have a bright future, following the expected Chinese investment in agriculture, textile, pharmaceutical and IT industries.

On the occasion, LCCI President Mian Nauman Kabir appreciated the government for its prudent economic policies and the incentives provided to the IT sector, which could take the country to the path of economic development.

He emphasised the need for producing quality human capital and voiced hope that the IT sector would surpass the export target of $3.5 billion this year.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2022.

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