Minister for Information Technology Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari on Tuesday said setting up of modern technology park in collaboration with Dubai Internet City would help enhance IT growth in Pakistan.
"Pakistan has witnessed a rapid growth in IT-enabled sector over the past years and our combined efforts would bring benefits to both the countries," he said.
Talking to APP in a telephonic conversation from Dubai, he said the government was committed to provide incentives to ensure accelerated and sustained growths in IT sector.
The minister was visiting Dubai to attend the MoU signing ceremony between Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and Dubai Internet City for setting up a high-tech technology park in Pakistan.
Awais Leghari said: "Pakistan has offered numerous incentives to attract investors, including exemption from corporate taxes, subsidised training programmes for developing human resources and assisting companies in obtaining quality certifications etc."
The MoU was signed by Dr Omar Bin Sulaiman, CEO of Dubai Internet City, and Dr Aamir Matin, Managing Director PSEB, on behalf of their respective organisations.
Under the MoU, Dubai Internet City and PSEB will jointly explore the possibility of setting up a technology park in Pakistan. The two organisations will jointly commit resources in examining the feasibility of such a project.
PSEB is a government agency responsible for facilitating the development of the local IT industry by extending all possible help to prospective foreign domestic investors and to software companies operating in Pakistan.
On the occasion, Ahmad Bin Byat, Director General of the Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone, said the UAE and Pakistan have close economic ties, adding, this MoU will contribute towards strengthening them.
Dr Omar Bin Sulaiman, CEO of Dubai Internet City, said Pakistan's ICT industry had shown a considerable progress over the last few years.
"We are looking at the feasibility of setting up a business park that will both add value to the Pakistani industry as well as boost our efforts to accelerate ICT growth in the region," he added.
Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari said he would further proceed to London from Dubai to attend one-day investment conference being organised jointly by the High Commission, Asia House and Pakistan's Board of Investment there.
A daylong moot is also being attended by Minister for Investment and Privatisation Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Chaudhry Nouraiz Shakoor Khan, senior officials of Board of Investment and Central Board of Revenue and businessmen from Pakistan.
"The investment conference on the subject of 'Pakistan Trade and Investment: The New Frontier' is expected to help promote foreign investment, particularly when the economy is showing positive indicators," said Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari.
The conference will focus on power, energy, Information Technology, textiles, engineering, chemicals and other related subjects, he added.
Awais said he would chair a session devoted to the subject of "room open for networking opportunities on IT and telecom sector."
The conference will provide an opportunity to UK textile importers to exchange their views on various issues.
London, being financial hub of the Western world, was a proper venue to hold such a conference. Britain is currently the largest foreign investor and the 4th largest trading partner of Pakistan.
The economic ties are expanding between the two countries as a result of many high profile visits from Britain during last many months.
During many sessions of the conference, ministers and senior officials will explain conducive ambience and investor-friendly environment to the potential UK investors.
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