Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication (IT&T), Dr Umar Saif, has unveiled ambitious plans for the technological future of Pakistan through a series of video messages. The focal point of his announcements includes the upcoming launch of 5G services in the country by July-August this year, coinciding with the auctioning of a 300MHz spectrum.
Dr Saif expressed pride in the caretaker government’s achievements, highlighting the successful accomplishment of 13 out of 15 goals within a short span of five months. Notable among these achievements is a policy change allowing IT companies to retain 50 percent of their export earnings in dollars, resulting in a significant 32 percent increase in IT exports over the past 60 days. Additionally, Dr Saif mentioned the establishment of a specialized telecom tribunal to expedite dispute resolution in the telecom sector.
Emphasizing the importance of aligning educational institutions with industry needs, Dr Saif outlined plans for a standardized quality test for 75,000 IT graduates and the introduction of specialized industry courses in universities.
Addressing the demand for freelancers to receive payments through PayPal, Dr Saif noted progress in this area. He also shared insights into Pakistan’s first space policy, allowing international companies to offer communication services through low-orbit satellites.
An exciting initiative in the pipeline is the establishment of 10,000 e-Rozgar centers across the country, designed to support freelancers and startups. These centers will offer state-of-the-art facilities and technical support, with the ultimate goal of boosting IT exports by $10 billion annually.
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