On the road to modernisation: Sindh government wants Google services

IT minister shows interest in Google Drive, Google Apps, Google Cloud and Gmail.

KARACHI: Sindh Information Technology Ministry is to sign a memorandum of understanding with Google Pakistan to acquire Google applications and to improve IT skills and efficiency of Sindh government’s employees.

In his presentation before the Sindh IT minister, Mian Zahid Hussain, on Saturday, Google Pakistan country consultant Badar Khushnood demonstrated a number of Google facilities that could put the Sindh government on the track of automation and efficiency. IT secretary Muhammad Yousuf, additional secretary Ali Nawaz Chachar and other senior officers of the ministry were also present.

Khushnood told the participants that while Google’s educational services are free for everyone, a nominal fee is charged for exclusive and customised services.

According to the statement released on Monday, Hussain asked the country consultant to provide them Google applications free of charge for the first three years and other services on highly discounted rates.

Khushnood assured the minister that he would send a request to the headquarters and will hopefully receive a positive response as Google has done significant work under its Corporate Social Responsibility programme and cited its $1 million donation for flood victims and setting up of Pakistan Software Houses Association fund.

The ministry showed interest in Google Drive, Google Apps, Google Cloud (virtual services through mobile phones) and Gmail.

When the issue of unblocking YouTube was raised, Khushnood said that the anti-Islam content could only be taken off the website when YouTube Pakistan is launched and for that the government of Pakistan would have to formulate the necessary laws.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th, 2013.