Many of us may find it hard to imagine and comprehend a world functioning without the internet, e-mail, mobile phones and other technological goodies. But yes, there was time when these did not exist and people had to rely on snail mail, telegrams and other decelerated modes of communication. Modes now rendered obsolete and replaced by more advanced systems.
We cannot but reflect at the extent of technology permeating our day-to-day affairs. We are no longer forced to send letters through the postal service, visit the library for research material, or wait for photos to be developed. Thanks to technology, all of these activities can be performed either digitally offline or online. But this is just one side of the coin.
Innovation drives economic growth and our quality of life. It gives us hope that the major challenges can be resolved and addressed. It is the key to surviving in the face of global competition and rapid technological developments. Agriculture and textile are considered to be the backbone of this countrys economy. These industries not only contribute substantially to Pakistans exports, they also supply raw materials to other industries. Naturally, this puts these sectors on the priority list of the state.
Unfortunately, other potential contributors such as the information technology sector remain sidelined. Consequentially, though there are a substantial number of technology products and service users in Pakistan, unfortunately the same cannot be said for producers of technology. The disparity between users and tech producers is largely fuelled by mindsets that inhibit innovation, creativity, research and development.
IFRAH JAVAID
Lahore