Digitalization of country need of hour: IT minister

F.P. Report

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui Monday said that IT sector would bring a change in the country in future, so it is need of the hour time to digitalize the country. Talking to the media persons during his visit to the Virtual University (VU) here, he said that Pakistan was earning one billion dollars per annum through software development and its volume could be increased up to seven billion dollars per annum in the next five years.

“Everything is now done through mobile phone; so the government is trying to reduce the price of mobile phones besides providing WiFi without any cost,” he added.

He said that the VU was working under the Ministry of IT, which was a world within itself. “We have discussed the steps to curb poverty illiteracy in the country,” he added.

He urged the University to come forward to explore the talent of the youth.

To a question, he said that equal importance should be given to all languages in the country for a comprehensive improvement.

He said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would be helpful in boosting the IT industry and a huge investment would come through it.

Siddiqui termed the Sahiwal incident unfortunate, saying that terrorism was the most serious challenge in the country but killing of innocent people after declaring them as terrorists was a tragedy. Earlier, the minister visited several departments of the VU and Rector Dr Navid A Malik gave him briefing about them.