Prime Minister asks chairman Google to help set up IT centres at grassroot level

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday asked Executive Chairman of Google Inc. Eric Emerson Schmidt to help Pakistan in its programme of establishing Universal Service Centres at union councils levels throughout the country.
Talking to Executive Chairman of Google Inc who called on him at his Parliament chamber, he said that the government was determined to set-up IT centres in every Union Council as a measure for job creation as well as for promotion of IT-related knowledgeable in the far-flung areas of the country.
He said that Pakistan was observing a rapid growth for broadband adoption with over 120 percent growth rate during past three years. He said that the number of broadband internet users have surpassed seven million mark. This growth, he said, was expected to continue in future as more individuals would join the cyber world.
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan possessed a diverse market for broadband technologies encapsulating DSL, Cable, Fiber, WiMAX and EvDo. The introduction of 3-G mobile broadband services would provide a further boost to the accessibility, he added. The Prime Minister maintained that we deeply acknowledged and recognised the efforts being carried out by Google for undertaking various community-based projects in the country.
The Prime Minister said that the government was doing everything to facilitate Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector for effective delivery of ICT enabled services. He said that Government was making efforts for establishment of an information-based society in the country where true potential of such massive ICT infrastructure could be utilised.
The Prime Minister said that the government had rolled out several projects for promotion of higher education in ICT by establishing several ICT campuses and IT blocs. He asked Google Inc to provide support in this regard. The Prime Minister said that he recently announced a Venture Capital Fund of US $10 million and would like Google Inc to also contribute to it besides its Social Innovation Fund.
"I have, recently, directed the establishment of Universal Service Centers at Union Council level across Pakistan. The aim of these centers is to provide Government to Citizen and Government to Business services acting as an IT Hub in rural areas. I would also like your support to make these centers successful," the Prime Minister added. The Prime Minister said that the government has spent billions of rupees to provide broadband Internet connections in Balochistan, Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa and in rural areas for the sake of providing state of the art facilities. We are working on latest 3-G technology, he said.
The Prime Minister underscored the need of utilising technology for electronic compilation of data about cross-border movement between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which would help track down the terrorists. He said that over 40,000 people crossed the hundreds of kilometers long border on daily basis and it was virtually impossible to keep a physical check at some points of the terrain despite presence of Pakistani check posts.
Speaking on the occasion, Eric Emerson Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google Inc said that demographic composition of Pakistani population was a great national asset and the Pakistani youth was talented and eager to get acquainted with the information technology.
He assured the Prime Minister that his company was willing to help Pakistan to spread the information technology throughout the country. He said that connectivity offered the best choices to the youth to get themselves gainfully engaged, which in turn was critical to combat the extremist tendencies. The Chief Executive said that the building up and maintenance of database through use of information technology was crucial to deal with security issues as well as law and order situation. He said that it was also important for formulating the economic development strategy.