RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) President Malik Shahid Saleem on Wednesday has demanded an Information Technology (IT) park in Rawalpindi. While appreciating the initiative of Prime Minister Imran Khan for constituting a National Oversight Committee to administer the development on the public use of official state-owned structures, RCCI President said that Punjab House and Governor House (Annexe) Rawalpindi is vacant and can be converted into an IT Park within 3- 6 months period. We have been demanding this since 2015 and a lot of communication has been made between ministry of IT and Punjab Government, but unfortunately, we could not make result oriented progress here, he added.

Malik Shahid Saleem said that Rawalpindi needs an IT park as the industry is growing and many people who are engaged in this sector are working mostly on an individual level. He said information technology sector contributed $2.8 billion to the country’s export. He added that the government support exports in the sector could be enhanced to $5 billion in next three years. The RCCI president said in Pakistan the IT industry had great potential and urged the government to provide favourable environment for the promotion of IT in different sectors including banking (e-banking), medicine (telemedicine) and manufacturing (e-designing). He said in recent years e-commerce had doubled its penetration in Pakistan and said this would further grow in coming days. Freelancing is growing and our youth is keen to set up IT businesses but due to lack of infrastructure, awareness and high cost they are unable to contribute to the society.–Staff reporter

The IT Park will serve the purpose to fulfil their dreams, he added. He expressed hope that the Government under its austerity drive and utilization of official state-owned structures will consider and implement in its true spirit and letter.