The three-day annual Digital Youth Summit concluded here on Sunday, with hopes for creation of 75,000 new digital jobs. The summit, whose concluding session was addressed by PTI chairman Imran Khan, was sponsored by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board, the World Bank and other partner organizations, was the largest so far.
It had more than 80 speakers, and the 4,000 participants included top local and international digital entrepreneurs, technologists, ICT companies, academics, information and communication technology experts from a number of countries, representatives of international companies and government officials, as well as students themselves. The event, at which Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Minister for Information Technology Shahram, Tarakai were also present, brought together the next generation of digital innovators to announce the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Digital Strategy to help map out Pakistan's digital future and to transform the province into an emerging hub of ICT (information communication technology).
Addressing an enthusiastic youthful crowd, Imran Khan said that through the effective use of ICT they could play a leading role in taking the economy to the level of one based on digital and knowledge. A KP Digital Strategy was unveiled at the summit to provide a roadmap for the province to equip young people with the skills, access, and market they need to secure and create jobs in a knowledge-based digital economy. The summit also featured a Start-up Cup in which local start-ups pitched their businesses for a chance to win a $2,500 prize to grow their ventures. A KP Cyber Emergency Response Centre was unveiled by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board to identify and timely respond to cybercrimes.