100 E-Rozgar centres, 10 IT parks will be established by 2025, PM told

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Shehbaz Sharif wants early completion of Islamabad IT Park Calls for steps to grant industrial status to gems, stones sector

2024-05-23T09:26:21+05:00 Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD    -    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday instructed for the early completion of IT Park being developed in Islamabad and carrying out the third-party performance evaluation of software technology parks.

The prime minister, chairing a meeting to discuss the matters related to the IT parks, lauded the establishment of such parks in the country to promote information technology, IT exports and to facilitate the startups.

Briefing the prime minister about the IT Parks, the officers of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications said that Islamabad’s IT Park being established through South Korean cooperation, would be completed by next year. The facility would feature startups, incubation centers, banks, restaurants and other facilities.

Besides, another IT Park being developed with South Korea’s support near the Jinnah International Airport of Karachi would be completed by 2027.

Moreover, 43 software technology parks had been established in 20 cities. By 2025, around 100 new E-Rozgar centers and 10 new software technology parks will be developed.

Federal ministers Ahad Khan Cheema and Muhammad Aurangzeb, State Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Jahanzeb Khan, PM’s Coordinator Rana Ehsan Afzal and relevant senior officers attended the meeting.

Also, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the relevant authorities to take the required steps for granting the industrial status to the gems and precious stones sector of the country.

The prime minister, chairing a meeting on the gems and precious stones sector, called for necessary legislation and consultation with the provinces and the private sector to uplift the sector besides immediately activating the Gems and Jewelry Development Company.

He said that most of the country’s areas particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir were rich with immense natural resources which needed to be fully exploited.

Prime Minister Shehbaz also called for ensuring the international certification of stone products and their display at international exhibitions.

He also instructed for launching training programs to promote value addition of the stone products, and carry out the geological mapping of KP, GB and AJK on the availability of precious stones.

The participants of the meeting were told that a strategy was being formulated to promote investment in the fields of gems and rare stone.

Federal ministers Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Jam Kamal Khan and Dr Musaddik Malik, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmed and relevant senior officers attended the meeting.

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