ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said that the government was committed to bringing a digital transformation in Pakistan while working with all the stakeholders.
Addressing the opening session of conference titled, Empowering a Digital Pakistan, in Islamabad on Wednesday, organised by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) and Center of Pakistan and International Relations (COPAIR), he said that peace, political stability, continuity of policies and commitment to reforms are crucial to take the country forward on the path of economic development.
He said that there was a huge potential in Pakistan, especially the youth has the power to take the country forward through digitalisation; however, that would only be possible through linking the young generation to the fastest-growing transformative technologies.
The Minister for Planning said political stability, continuity of policies, peace, and commitment to reforms are crucial to put Pakistan forward on the path of economic development.
Iqbal said Pakistan is standing at a defining moment and cannot afford to lag behind in embracing the latest technology. He noted we have to introduce technology in every sector to compete with the world. He called for collaboration and collective efforts to take the country in the right direction.
Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, president of IRS, expressing his views underscored the significance of aligning policies and institutions with modern technologies to speed up the digital transformation process in the country. He added that there was a digital divide, with some sectors of the economy and society benefiting from digital transformation adequately while others lagged behind. He emphasised the need for expanding upon e-governance and digitalisation of all public services.
Aisha Humera Chaudhry, Additional Secretary of IT and Telecom Ministry, briefed the participants about the Ministry of IT and Telecom’s efforts in advancing information technology infrastructure in the country.
Dr Baber Majid Bhatti, CEO of NITB, stressed the importance of adopting digital technologies to achieve holistic socio-economic development. He also underscored the need to address the overlapping phenomena of digital initiatives and projects in the country as they were not contributing effectively to the development of digitalization.
DrHaider Abbas, Director General of the National CERT shared that as per international and national cybersecurity indexes, Pakistan ranked as one of the most vulnerable nations in terms of cybersecurity.
He added that the Pakistan Cyber Emergency Response Team had implemented various initiatives to protect Pakistan’s digital borders.
Amer Shahzad, Director General, Wireless, PTA, highlighted the strategic framework adopted by PTA to drive digitalization forward. He emphasized upon the authority’s commitment to infrastructure development, ensuring timely adoption of 5G technologies, fostering cross-sectional collaboration, extending rural connectivity, implementing subsidy programs, and fostering robust public and private partnerships.
Gulmina Bilal Ahmed, chairperson of the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), in her remarks, emphasized the organization’s partnerships with industry, international organizations, and government agencies to customize its programs to meet market needs.
Amna Munawwar Awan, president of COPAIR, added that emerging technologies possess the potential to revolutionise industries, improve decision-making processes, and engender new economic opportunities. She said Pakistan must focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Block chain Technology, Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), Cyber Security, Quantum Computing, Digital Media Literacy, Infrastructure Development and Education and Training.
Foreign envoys, diplomats, CEOs of IT companies, heads of think tanks, former ambassadors, academia, intelligentsia, and opinion makers attended the event.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024