Peshawar - Federal Minister for Planning, Development, Reforms and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Sunday said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has trained 100,000 youth in IT sector which would further uplift IT industry in the country.
Asad Umar expressed these remarks while talking to media persons on the occasion of the concluding session of two-day Digital Youth Summit in Peshawar.
Accompanied by KP Minister for Science and Information Technology Atif Khan, Federal Minister Asad Umar said that during last two years export in the IT sector has been increased three times due to investors’ friendly policies introduced by the government.
“Pakistan is the 5th largest community in the world in the individual youth community, which is a clear indication of progress of Pakistan in the IT sector,” Asad Umar said.
The trust of the foreign investors has been further cemented and billions of dollars investment coming to Pakistan in the IT sector, he said while answering a question. He said 2.3 million jobs were created in 2018.
“There are a lot of development opportunities in agriculture in Pakistan and the government has given due attention that is why crops of wheat, rice, sugarcane have come up in record,” Asad Umar said.
The government, he said, is focusing on the sectors having opportunities for development like agriculture, IT and tourism. He said record harvest of wheat, rice and sugarcane means the government is working on an appropriate line in the agriculture sector in the rural areas and farmers are getting benefit from such progress.
“However, in urban areas, there are opportunities in the construction sector and that is why a new boom is witnessed in the construction sector and all those areas related to construction industries,” said Asad Umar.
The construction industry, he said, has grown exponentially due to the interest of the Prime Minister, who himself is looking and monitoring the construction industries.
“PDM is like a seasonal disease, it will end as soon as the cold ends,” Asad Umar said this while answering a question in a laughing mood.
While appreciating the government of KP, he said, the provincial government is working on connectivity and digital technology training. Training more than 100,000 in the Informational Technology sector in the next one and half year would cost the government Rs8 billion.
“There are many opportunities for national and international investors in the IT sector of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which is very encouraging,” Asad Umar said.
“Certainly, the development of IT sector will boost the digital economy of the province and events like the Digital Youth Summit are of utmost importance for innovative ideas in the digital world,” he added.
The youth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have the talent to grow in the IT sector and providing digital skills training to graduate and undergraduate youth would enable them to find employment, he said.
Asad Umar and Shibli Faraz also paid visits to various sections and met with the youth in the Digital Youth Summit.
The event was attended by a large number of national and international stakeholders and students specialising in the IT sector