Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT) have dismissed as illegal and baseless the legal notices issued by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). The notice to vacate the building in seven days was served on all the IT companies availing space in Evacuee Trust Complex (ETC), Islamabad, at subsidised rates.
Senior officials from PSEB and MoIT have taken up the matter with the Ministry of Minorities and the ETPB authorities and apprised them of the anxiety caused by the notices among the tenant IT companies. Secretary IT Hifz-ur-Rehman explained that the adverse impact of these notices would hamper the growth of the most promising IT sector. He also forwarded a formal letter to the concerned ministry and the ETBP management, along with the directive from the Prime Minister.
The directive states that ETP Board must continue subsidising the rents of these IT companies for the intervening period till the IT Parks are developed by PSEB and MOIT. Commenting on the situation, Talib Baloch, MD, PSEB said "I am actively pursuing the matter with the concerned officials and have provided them clear directives of the government to continue subsidise rent of IT companies. My understanding is that perhaps senior officials of ETPB management while issuing termination notices overlooked the directives of the government".
"I have been assured by the officials of ETPB and Ministry of Minorities that they will look into the matter in the light of government directives. I hope that the matter will be amicably settled shortly." he added.
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