ISLAMABAD, Dec 5 (APP):Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday said that having achieved the economic stability, the government would now fully focus on the digitization of the government functioning to curb corruption, introduce digital payments and ease out public difficulties besides bringing transparency.
Addressing the launching ceremony of Digital Pakistan initiative here, the Prime Minister said his government should have started the program far earlier but during the first year, all of its focus remained on stabilizing the national economy that had been achieved finally.
The Digital Pakistan vision sets Pakistan’s digital ambition and has been designed for the government and the private sector to work towards a digitally progressive and inclusive Pakistan. It brings together multiple initiatives that the government has already kicked off, and identifies additional focus areas that the government would initiate in the coming months.
Minister for Information Technology Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Special Assistant to PM on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, State Bank Governor Baqir Raza and Advisor to PM on Institutional Reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain also attended the event besides Tania Aidrus, a Pakistani expatriate who recently quit her job as Senior Executive in Google to lead the digitization initiative.
The Prime Minister said the digitization was vital particularly for the youth for their future employment and the entrepreneurs to set up their businesses without any hassle. It would in fact unleash the true potential of Pakistan’s youth population that could become strength for the country if they were given the opportunity.
Besides opening up the employment opportunities to the women of even far flung areas, the digitization would also bring e-governance in the country to help eradicate corruption that had taken roots even to the lower level in the society.
In his address, IT Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said the country was at the crossroads of the digitization to either chose it or lose it.
He said there was dire need to review the curriculum of IT as out of around 25,000 graduates annually, only five to six thousand could get jobs which manifested the gaps between the education standards in the country and the market needs.
State Bank Governor Raza Baqir said the digital payment was a component of digitization initiative which directly associated with the State Bank. He said the digitization would facilitate the entrepreneurs to launch their companies and the common man to make transactions through his mobile phone.
The digitization would also promote microfinance which could support small business sector by lending money at far lower rates than the informal sector.
Raza Baqir urged the Pakistani expatriates to follow their suit and take a difficult decision to serve in Pakistan and assured that SBP was ready to hire those having expertise in economic sector.
In her presentation, Tania Aidrus highlighted the features of the initiatives and things to do by the government to achieve the objective.
She said having left Pakistan some 20 years ago, she had graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was currently serving in Google in Singapore. However, during the course, she always focused Pakistan even during her study as well as the professional life.
The Digital Pakistan was aimed at ensuring access to internet for every Pakistani as a fundamental right needed to make available universally and especially to underserved populations. It would help develop a digital infrastructure to enable the people to do most daily tasks using smart-phones in a secure and a faster manner, she added.
Source: VNS, Islamabad
