PM hails first IT park as major milestone

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday formally inaugurated the newly renamed Daanish IT Park (National Technology Park), hailing the country's first national technology facility as a crucial milestone for Pakistan's rapid economic progress and prosperity.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, the prime minister emphasized that the state-of-the-art facility brings incubation centres, innovation hubs, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), startups, and industry leaders together under one roof.

He expressed strong optimism that the tech park would empower Pakistan's youth and play a pivotal role in steering the nation toward becoming a developed country.

He said that once the technology park becomes fully operational, similar facilities would be established across the country and in all provinces, helping industry, agriculture, mining and minerals, and other key sectors grow.

The prime minister said the facility would host AI experts and act as a catalyst to promote different skills in the IT sector.

He said the foundation of this project was laid down during 2017-18 but what happened after it was a part of history.

He also commended the hard work and tireless efforts of the Minister of IT and her team and relevant authorities, which transformed 'a sick project into a sound and healthy project'.

He further informed that he had directed the ministry to conduct transparent bidding, inviting renowned IT companies in the country and abroad to make the facility fully functional and keep it growing under internationally recognised SOPs without any interference from the government.

The prime minister said that Islamabad IT Park, would now onwards be called 'Daanish IT Park', highlighting the contributions made by Daanish schools in the education sector by providing quality education to talented students with poor backgrounds, and mentioned that due to their talents, those students had excelled in different fields.

He said moreover, Daanish University in Islamabad was also being established.

The prime minister said "it is not about brick and mortar, it is not about, a grand, wonderful building, it is about ecosystem, it is about innovation, having incubation centres, over there, skill development, vocational training, and centres where industrialists and entrepreneurs will be sitting, in front of great IT experts and AI experts, all of them, will be here, and this centre will act as a great catalyst to promote all these skills to all those who are ready to learn without wasting time."

The prime minister, in his remarks, appreciated the support of the Korean government and the ambassador, and shared that he had visited Korea for the first time back in 1985, where he visited the headquarters of Daewoo, a steel plant and had meetings with many other companies.

He said that during his tenure as chief minister Punjab, they also brought Daewoo's air-conditioned buses for the first time in Pakistan, in the city of Lahore.

The prime minister also lauded Korea's economy and said the country was counted amongst those leading industrious countries of the world.

Facilities for passengers at airports

 

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved measures to eliminate difficulties faced by passengers at airports and to further facilitate their travel.

The Prime Minister was chairing a review meeting regarding the customs system. The Prime Minister directed the immediate installation of smart scanners at airports.

Baggage should be screened using smart scanners rather than by Customs officials, he said and issued orders to stop Customs officials from harassing passengers with unnecessary questioning.

He directed the immediate import of smart scanners via air and their installation at all the international airports.

Outdated procedures for screening passenger baggage at airports must be abandoned, he added.

He said, "Passenger convenience and comfort are the top priority and no one will be allowed to harass passengers."

Internationally prevalent automated systems will be introduced for screening passenger baggage, he remarked.

He said staff deployed for other airport services will also be trained according to international standards.

"Courtesy and respect for human dignity in service delivery must be made key components of the training.

The new enforcement system introduced by Customs is commendable and the credit goes to the FBR Chairman and his team," he continued.

He said every possible measure must be taken to prevent revenue evasion.

He said, "Tax paying businesses are worthy of respect and a zero tolerance policy will be adopted against tax evaders."

"We are custodians of the poor public's money and will make every possible effort to safeguard it."

During the meeting, the Prime Minister was briefed on the movement of goods and customs oversight at various locations across the country, including airports and seaports. A briefing was also given on the performance of the Customs Enforcement Force and the measures taken to curb the smuggling of petroleum products.

The meeting was informed that significant progress has been made in establishing and operationalizing digital enforcement stations under Customs Enforcement. In the first three weeks of its inception, the Indus Collectorate (Enforcement) seized goods worth approximately Rs 205 million in 80 operations; 865 personnel were deployed, and 26 key transit routes were covered.

It was further told that operations against smuggled items - such as fabric, vehicles, cigarettes, high-speed diesel, auto parts, and other goods are ongoing. Meanwhile, under customs sector reforms, the recruitment of 280 Goods Evaluators has been completed and their training is scheduled for October and November 2026.

The meeting was further informed that, as a result of reform measures taken by the FBR to curb smuggling, a unified and integrated entity has been established nationwide by consolidating the customs enforcement system.