President Dr. Arif Alvi asked the Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication (IT & Telecom) to improve accessibility of internet facility in the rural areas as well as build innovative IT-based solutions and skills so as to meet the economic and technological challenges. He stated this while chairing the second meeting of the Committee on Emerging Technologies, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, today.
Highlighting the significance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), the President said that this sector had enormous potential to play vital role in improving economy, commerce, exports, education, health, governance, construction industry, agriculture and other important sectors of the country. He stated that the ICTs played significant role during the current Covid-19 crises as these technologies accelerated the digitalization of many businesses and services, including online working and video conferencing systems in and out of the work place, access to healthcare, education and other essential goods and services.
The President emphasized the need for reinvigorating this vital sector by engaging foreign-based Pakistani IT experts to play their role in the technological development of the country. In order to improve internet coverage in rural areas, the President directed Ministry of IT & Telecom to initiate measures to enhance the coverage of Internet facility in rural areas so as the students could have uninterrupted access to online education.
The meeting was attended by the Federal Minister for IT &Telecom, Mr. Syed Aminul Haque, Secretary IT & Telecom, Mr. Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Digital Pakistan, Ms. Tania Aidrus, and representatives of provincial governments, including Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, and other IT experts through video conference.
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