While addressing the 18th meeting of the Board of Directors of Pakistan
Software Export Board (PSEB), here on Monday, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf
Raza Gilani directed the Board to increase the number of interns and
also amount of stipend to facilitate them to complete their training in
an enabling environment.
The Prime Minister said that the interns from the less developed
regions of the country be encouraged to mainstream them in the
promising field of Information Technology. He also directed that due
attention be given to impart training to the special persons who have
special aptitude for IT related areas.
The Prime Minister asked the Members of the Board to concentrate on
completing the IT (Park) project in Islamabad in the first place and
thereafter undertake the projects in other cities like in Lahore,
Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and other major cities of the country .It may
be mentioned that the Board has a piece of land in Islamabad for the
purpose.
The Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction that IT Industry of
Pakistan is earning about one billion dollars per annum and the future
prospects are very promising. The industry is booming at the rate of an
average 20% and providing lucrative jobs to tens of thousands Pakistani
young IT professionals.
Mr. Saleem Ghauri, CEO of NETSOL, a Lahore based IT company, told
the meeting that Pakistani companies are successfully competing with
their international competitors and have won many recognitions at the
global level.
He said, China, Japan, European countries, UK and USA are important
destinations of IT export. He pointed out some problems regarding the
Quality Certification mainly attributed to the lack of funds. The Prime
Minister directed the Ministry of Finance and the Secretary IT to
arrange necessary funds for the purpose since without quality
certification the companies automatically stand disqualified in the
bidding.
It may be mentioned that PSEB has so far trained 4900 IT
professionals who are rendering valuable services in the field. The
Board will increase the number of the interns while devising their
future strategy in the light of the Prime Minister’s directive, the MD
told.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary IT, Principal Secretary to
the Prime Minister, Mr. Zia Imran, acting Finance Secretary, MD (PESB),
Mr. Muhammad Saleem Ghauri, CEO NETSOL and other senior officials. SANA
