Proposed Regulatory Body to improve standard: Khalid

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui Monday said the proposed Regulatory Body on IT education would helpimprove standard and create more employment opportunities.

“We need to keep our pace with world to end unemployment. Improve our IT education standard as more than 25,000 IT graduates are being produced each year but only a few thousands get job in market,” he said this while talking to media persons at Huawei Pakistan Mobile Summit-2019 here.

Khalid Maqbool said the government was trying to produce the best IT graduates and in this regard a comprehensive policy in consultation with the universities would be introduced. He said it is the technology and quality education which have helped in minimizing poverty. Dr Khalid Maqbool said many countries in the region have gone far beyond in area of IT education and added it is very important to determine correct direction.

“Our main task is to assist all ministries in field of IT. We need to encourage those Pakistanis who achieved excellence while working abroad,” he added. Replying to a question, he said Ministry of IT was trying that every Pakistani could benefit from broadband and mobile phones. He said negotiations have been conducted with mobile companies to set up their mobile manufacturing units in Pakistan and in this regard land would be provided in Haripur.

Answering another question, he said reshuffle in Cabinet is a routine process and as per requirements. He said a comprehensive cyber security policy, using a multi-stakeholder approach has also been devised and would be introduced soon. The cyber security is an issue of global concern and countries are adopting cyber governance frameworks.

Cyberspace is increasingly being used as a vehicle of crime and other social ills which necessitates its security, safety and resilience in order to foster its positive dimensions that includes bridging digital divide while influencing every aspect of economic and social activities, he said.

Earlier, addressing the Summit-2019, the minister said the Information Technology (IT) in Pakistan was growing and it has potential to expand even more in future. He appreciated Huawei for organizing Mobile Summit and said this Summit would provide wonderful opportunity to experts of ICT spectrum to interact and promote further development of the sector. He said IT and telecommunication sector in Pakistan evolved impressively. He said today is age of IT and through this we can transform our population into an asset. “We have to take Pakistan towards development through information technology,” the Minister added. He said ICT entrepreneurs, start-ups and Small and Medium Enterprises are our future.