The past few years have been gloomy for Pakistan. Reports of bomb blasts, suicide attacks, target killing have featured with alarming frequency in various media outlets. There is an ongoing army operation against militants along the PakAfghan border. Such developments hardly make for an auspicious image of the country and its state of affairs.
Nonetheless, as petrified citizens were subjected to repeated video clips of carnage and mayhem on the local news channels, (in between electricity breakdowns) Pakistans information technology sector continued to work on its small but significant success stories.
The year of 2009 saw the IT industry members gathered in Karachi to commemorate and honour their best at the annual Pakistan Software Houses Association awards. The attendees of the event could not help but be wowed by the talent, zeal and vision of the young entrepreneurs assembled to showcase their innovative products at the Tech Crunch Gong Award.
The merits of local language content and empowering the rural population with internet connectivity although repeatedly acknowledged by all and sundry during various panel discussions and conferences, had received little attention by the government and the private sector to date.
So you can imagine ones delight to see full-fledged local language websites being published by the once illiterate students and teachers from remote villages in Punjab and Attock district following training by members of the centre for Research in Urdu Language Processing based in Lahore as a part of the Dareecha Project.
The above are small examples of what can be achieved when one is truly determined and motivated. Although the political and socio-economic situation of the country may be far from perfect, the hardships and hurdles are little match for its citizens inherent perseverance and talent. Media should encourage such success stories.
SYED OBAID ALI SHAH
Lahore