ISLAMABAD ( BMZ REPORT )
Information & Communication Technologies (ICTs) have now been recognized as the engine for growth and a source of energy for the social and economic empowerment of any country, specially a third world country. Relationship between ICTs and improved services to the common man in the areas of health, education, agriculture, governance etc. have now become a proven success for the Governments in developing countries.
Today, governments are empowering masses through ICTs as it can prove to be effective short-cut to higher levels of equity in the emerging Global Digital Networked Information Economy. Framing Information and Communication Technology Strategies and Policies are complex exercises which encompass a variety of issues covering areas such as infrastructure, human challenges, technology, architecture, standards, administrative, information, security, financial, legal, privacy, quality of service.
In order to accelerate the use of ICTs in development sector of Pakistan specially in Education, Health, Agriculture, Good Governance and E-commerce, Pakistan Institute of ICTs for development Islamabad organized a two days workshop/conference which was attended by participants especially from Baluchistan, KPK, Gilgit Baltistan and AJK. After a series of deliberations a number of initiatives were taken during this conference.
In order to establish the required ECO system and to bring all stakeholders on one page, ICT4D Think Tank of Pakistan has been established and Mr. Ammar Jaffri, Chief Executive Pakistan Institute of ICTs for Development has been nominated as National Coordination for bringing on board all required stake holders from different parts of Pakistan to extend ICTs services at the door step of a common man in Pakistan.
Speaking in the concluding session of the conference Engr. Balighur Rehman, Federal Minister for education highlighted the importance of ICTs in promoting quality education in remote villages of Pakistan. The Minister appreciated the efforts made by the organizers of the conference and stressed the need for collective efforts to take the power of ICTs to villages of Pakistan. He appreciated the establishment of ICT4D-Think Tank of Pakistan and announced that this tank would receive all possible functional support from public sector organizations which can promote their services for a common man in Pakistan through use of ICTs.