Facilitating IT sector Govt’s top priority: PM

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said that facilitating the Information Technology (IT) sector to create huge employment opportunities for the tech-savvy youth in the country, was the government’s top priority. “Special Technology Zones are being established in major cities to facilitate IT professionals. For this purpose, Compliance Regime has been introduced in place of NOC Regime”, he added.
The Prime Minister was chairing 4th meeting of the Board of Governors of Special Technology Zones Authority (STZA). He highlighted that youth constituted around 68% of the country’s population, and IT sector had the full potential to engage them productively for socio-economic uplift.
Earlier the Board of Governors approved to declare various technology and innovation clusters in Islamabad as Special Technology Zones to create enabling environment for the IT sector to utilize existing infrastructure for the growth of tech startups and freelancers.
The Prime Minister directed the authorities concerned to take all possible measures for the creation of tech-friendly ecosystem in the country.
These measures include tax holiday for the registered Tech Startups and freelancers, launch of Pakistan Technology Startup Fund, and attracting local and foreign Venture Capital funding in startups.
The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, Information Minister Fawad Hussain, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar, Industries Minister Khusro Bakhtiar, Special Assistant to PM on Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar, SAPM on Political Communication Shehbaz Gill, Chairman STZA Amir Hashmi, Chairman CDA Amir Ali Ahmed and other senior officers.