ISLAMABAD - Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on E-Commerce, Senator Aon Abbas Wednesday said that the federal cabinet had approved first-ever E-commerce policy framework, saying that e-commerce would help increase exports and strengthen digital economy as well as become prime source of employment for youth in the country.
He disclosed that Prime Minister Imran Khan, under his vision of promoting the digital economy, will inaugurate an E-commerce web-portal in February (next month), said a press release issued here.
On the occasion, he also revealed that first-ever E-commerce virtual university will be set up in the country, which will become live in July 2022.
Senator Aon Abbas was speaking at an awareness seminar on E-commerce organised by Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) in joint collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) here at the Chamber’s House.
The session was chaired by SCCI senior vice president Imran Khan Mohmand. Besides, the chamber vice president, Javed Akhtar, former president, Sherbaz Bilour, Ministry of Commerce Joint Secretary, Ayesha Humaira, Secretary Industries KP, Hashmat Ali, executive members Ghulam Hussain, Ghulam Bilal Javed, Zahoor Khan, S Minhajuddin, Ejaz Khan Afridi, Shams Rahim, Naeem Qasmi, Saddar Gul, Rashid Iqbal Siddique, Faiz Rasool, M Ishtiaq, a large number of traders, exporters, importers, presidents of different bazaar and traders, high officials for different relevant departments were present during the seminar.
Senator Aon Abbas said that according to rough estimates, domestic E-commerce remained at Rs 4 billion dollars, while Rs 60 billion digital trade was done through cross border in the last year. Currently, he apprised 1.1 to 1.2 million freelancers are working in the country while freelancers share in foreign remittances is about 1.5 billion dollars.
The SAPM said the present government under the vision of Prime Minister’s Imran Khan is taking practical measures toward promotion of E-commerce. For this purpose, he added efforts are afoot to bring improvement in postal system, value-chain, trace and tracking as well as banking system.
He emphasized the simple, speedy and accredited system is essential for promotion of E-commerce. The special aide pointed out that there are nine kinds of hurdles and impediments that were impeding promotion of E-commerce and E-businesses.
However, he said the present government is taking concrete steps to remove all those hurdles and fix problems at earliest under a holistic mechanism.
He said Prime Minister’s Imran Khan wants to introduce such a system that would ensure transportation of shipments or products by sitting at home. Pakistan stands at third in E-businesses while India was at first and Bangladesh at second, he informed. He said the promotion of E-commerce and digital economy is the prime target of the Prime’s Minister Imran Khan.
He said the special training programmes would be conducted for youth to contribute their share in the economy through using digital methods.
Earlier, SCCI SVP Imran Khan addressing on the occasion stressed the need for promotion of E-commerce and E-businesses, saying that our youth have been blessed with abundant and matchless skills but it is unfortunate that these capabilities were not utilized properly.
Therefore, he urged the Ministry of Commerce to conduct special capacity building and training to create knowledge among youth about using technology for promotion of business and contribution of their share in development of the national economy.
The SCCI office bearers hoped that the awareness seminar would help to enlighten the business community, especially startups businesses about using the latest methods/tools for promotion of their businesses.