ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Syed Aminul Haq said on Monday that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)’s policies and some rules of the central bank are hindering the growth of Information Technology (IT) exports.
“Startups and freelancers have fought a war with FBR and State Bank,” he said during the Digital Inclusion Week event here on Monday.
The minister said, “We are fighting with FBR and SBP to increase IT exports. Here the mindset is selling flour, pulses, and rice.It takes me 15 days a month to explain things to the FBR and SBP”.
The IT sector exports was $1.4 billion in 2019 which reached $2.6 billion in 2021-22, said the minister, adding that they have set a target of doubling the sector export.
Haque said that the government is committed to end the digital divide between the urban and rural areas of the country. He said that effective measures are being taken for digitalisation in the country, adding that the Ministry of IT is taking every possible step for a better digital future.
The Federal Minister for IT was addressing the inaugural ceremony of Pakistan-ITU Digital Inclusion Week, 2022 here.
The two-day event is aimed at raising awareness about the importance of mainstreaming digital inclusion in Pakistan in addressing the digital divide, particularly among people in vulnerable situations such as girls, children, and persons with disabilities.
He said that the government of Pakistan offered thanks to International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for their splendid support for all the countries of the world in general and for Pakistan in particular, in the areas of women empowerment, ICT Accessibility and for Child Online protection.
Haque said that it is the topmost priority of the government to empower women. Steps are being taken to equip youth with digital skills, he said.
He noted that the digital revolution characterized by artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing and mobile robotics and many more such areas which were previously considered the technologies of the future, have now become the need of the time.
The Federal Minister for IT said that ICT For Girls Project of the Ministry was an important initiative to empower women.
He said that work on a number of projects is going on for the provision of telecom services in far-flung areas of the country.
He said that the Ministry of IT has formulated National ICT Council for Persons with disabilities with the aim to support special people with assistive technologies and make them earning members. He said that cooperation between ITU member countries regarding digital transformation is vital.
The event of Pakistan-ITU Digital Inclusion Week is highlighting three main initiatives including Girls in ICT Day Pakistan, Accessible Cybercafé for all, and child online protection.
The ceremony was attended by Additional Secretary (Incharge) MoITT Mohsin Mushtaq, Chairman PTA Maj Gen retired Amir Azeem Bajwa, Chairman P@SHA Zohaib Khan, senior officers of the Ministry of IT, ambassadors, heads of attached departments of the Ministry of IT, and others.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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