Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said promotion of information technology is vital for rapid development, therefore, all out resources would be provided for the development of this sector in the province. He disclosed that 125,000 laptops would be distributed among talented students this year while 300,000 to 500,000 laptops next year. Chief Minister announced that an information technology university would be set up on a floor of Lahore Technology Park Ferozpur Road. He was addressing a bloggers seminar organised in collaboration with Punjab Information Technology Board, Google and P@sha, here today. Chairman Punjab Information Technology Board Dr Umar Saif, Country Consultant Google Pakistan Badar Khushnood, President Pakistan Software Houses Association Jahan Ara, people associated with information technology sector and a large number of Bloggers attended the seminar.
Addressing the seminar, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said Pakistani nation is second to none in abilities and Pakistanis have made a name in every sector. He said expatriate Pakistanis have proved their mettle in information technology, health and other sectors. He said that time has come that we should build our capacity in every sector and utilise all our energies to make Pakistan a great country by learning a lesson from our previous mistakes. He said at present India has a major share in business of information technology whereas Pakistan’s share in this sector is negligible. He said we have to adopt information technology to ensure progress in all sectors. He said Punjab government is pursuing a comprehensive programme for promotion of information technology. He said IT labs have been set up in more than four thousand schools and a research center has also been established in Murree. He said thousands of students are benefiting from the IT labs. He said Punjab government is jointly working with Microsoft Company for promotion of information technology. He said planning has also been made for setting up Knowledge City on Lahore Ring Road. He said there is no dearth of talent in Pakistan. He urged upon the youths to come forward and bring Pakistan at par with modern world by equipping themselves with latest knowledge. Chief Minister said corruption is rampant in the country and national resources are being plundered ruthlessly. He said those who looted national resources are enjoying power with the medals of corruption. He urged that collective efforts should be made for purging the society of corruption. He said 18 crore people have right over resources of Pakistan and not a handful of elite.
Sharif said we are taking steps to include the deprived segments of society into national mainstream. He said we would have to develop indigenous resources to achieve the goal of self sufficiency. He reiterated that loans worth billions of dollars were obtained during last 64 years but destiny of the country could not be changed. He said we would have to renounce the charity of Aaghiyar and develop our own resources. He added that quality education is not the right of elite only but it is right of every Pakistani. He told that Daanish Schools have been set up in far-flung and backward areas for this purpose where free educational facilities have been provided to the children from the lower echelons of the fiscal scale. He disclosed that one thousand centers of excellence are also being set up with billion of rupees throughout the province.
Chairman Punjab Information Technology Board Dr Umar Saif threw light on the steps taken with regards to promotion of IT in the province. Chief Minister gave detailed answers to the questions of the students. Later, he also distributed shields among IT professionals and bloggers.
