President Dr. Arif Alvi on Friday said research in the field of Information Technology is pivotal to socio-economic development and poverty alleviation in the country.

Speaking at a briefing by Prime Minister's Task Force on IT and Telecom in Islamabad on Friday, the President said the government is cognizant of the potential and significance of IT sector and has made it a national priority.

Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, was also present.

The President said that the 4th Industrial Revolution is changing the way that we live and work. Emphasizing that new technologies are powerful agents of good, he underlined the need for new ideas and initiatives to meet the requirements of these new technologies.

The President underscored that the basic objective of the Task Force is to reduce poverty and expand business by reviewing the existing IT & Telecom structure and making recommendations for its improvement. He assured the Task Force of every possible support in fulfilling its mandate.