The metropolis is on strategic location for setting up of business process outsourcing in the region for potential foreign and local investors. This was stated by Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim while talking to newsmen after the inaugural ceremony of one-day seminar on 'Call Centre Investment Opportunities', organised by Provincial Information Technology Ministry here on Saturday Sindh Government has allocated 200 acres land for setting up of 'Internet Media City' (IMC) in Karachi. "If more land is needed for the purpose it too would be made available," the CM said, adding that the provincial IT Minister, Mustafa Kamal, was working on IMC project.
He said that after a detailed briefing of call centres by experts, he thought that 200 acres land for IMC was not enough. The provincial government would consider some other places in the province for setting up of such projects to help grow the IT industry, he added.
He said the provincial government would provide encouragement in this respect. Karachi is the hub of commercial activities in Pakistan and as such more and more people have been showing interest to start business here, he added.
He said that some investors have shown interest to acquire land on the Super Highway between Karachi and Hyderabad for initiating their businesses.
Earlier, during the inaugural of seminar, the Chief Minister said that information communication technologies (ICTs) in the present era are considered as the centre of economic and social transformation across the globe.
This upswing in IT sector has provided tremendous impetus to business process outsourcing (BPO) among the leading business companies to achieve significant profit-oriented growth in their business operations.
The Chief Minister said that global outsourcing has been referred by researchers as "the trend of the decade" and Pakistan is well cognisant of the scenario.
Arbab said, "In Pakistan the BPO sector is not yet mature as compared to neighbouring countries in South Asia, but this sector has been taking long strides to achieve sustained and speedy growth in this field."
"The Government of Pakistan has provided several incentives to investors in BPO sector and because of this an increasing number of foreign IT companies have chosen Pakistan for outsourcing their operations," he added.
Pakistan has the potential for offering the greatest opportunities in the global BPO market. "We have been able to offer all prerequisites of success to the business service providers (BSP) to enable them to concentrate on marketing their services abroad and get due share in international BPO market. The government will use all resources to provide the required infrastructure to augment the growth in the BPO sector," he added.
The cost of running a call centre in Pakistan is among the lowest in the region. Establishing such facility in Karachi is quite a feasible proposition keeping in view the relevant parameters such as global competition, optic fibre connectivity and skill availability in the market. "I therefore invite all investors to come forward for liberalised investment in the BPO sector in Karachi, which has the greatest potential from all angles."
Other cities and towns of Sindh province could also be considered for this venture. The Sindh government assures its commitment to provide all the required facilities to the investors in this sector, the Chief Minister said.
IT Minister Mustafa Kamal said that the government acts as catalyst and facilitator for the establishment of IT enable services.
He appreciated the United States-based tycoon of BPO, Gurujot Sigh Kalsa, for coming here to establish BPO in Sindh. A large number of people, including investors and IT experts, attended the seminar.
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