While addressing the 18th meeting of the Board of Directors of Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), here today, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani directed the Board to increase the number of interns and also amount of stipend to facilitate them to complete their training in an enabling environment. The Prime Minister said that the interns from the less developed regions of the country be encouraged to mainstream them in the promising field of Information Technology. He also directed that due attention be given to impart training to the special persons who have special aptitude for IT related areas.
The Prime Minister asked the Members of the Board to concentrate on completing the IT (Park) project in Islamabad in the first place and thereafter undertake the projects in other cities like in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and other major cities of the country .It may be mentioned that the Board has a piece of land in Islamabad for the purpose.
The Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction that IT Industry of Pakistan is earning about one billion dollars per annum and the future prospects are very promising. The industry is booming at the rate of an average 20% and providing lucrative jobs to tens of thousands Pakistani young IT professionals.
Mr. Saleem Ghauri, CEO of NETSOL, a Lahore based IT company, told the meeting that Pakistani companies are successfully competing with their international competitors and have won many recognitions at the global level.
He said, China, Japan, European countries, UK and USA are important destinations of IT export. He pointed out some problems regarding the Quality Certification mainly attributed to the lack of funds. The Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Finance and the Secretary IT to arrange necessary funds for the purpose since without quality certification the companies automatically stand disqualified in the bidding .
It may be mentioned that PSEB has so far trained 4900 IT professionals who are rendering valuable services in the field. The Board will increase the number of the interns while devising their future strategy in the light of the Prime Minister’s directive, the MD told.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary IT, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Zia Imran, acting Finance Secretary, MD (PESB) , Mr. Muhammad Saleem Ghauri, CEO NETSOL and other senior officials.