PITB & PSEB to work on capacity building in ICT sector: MoU Signed

Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) and Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) have signed an MoU for the facilitation and promotion of local IT industry, startups and freelancers.

The ceremony, presided over by Minister for IT and Higher Education Punjab Raja Yassir Humayun Sarfraz as the chief guest, was held at Arfa Software Technology Park and the MoU was signed by Chairman PITB Azfar Manzoor and MD PSEB Osman Nasir. PITB DG e-Governance Sajid Latif, Director PSEB Sulman Hasan and other senior officials were also present at the occasion.

According to the MoU, PSEB and PITB will collaborate on promotion of local IT industry, entrepreneurship and incubation center development programs. The two organizations will also collaborate on soft skills, language, and technology training programs for ICT companies across the province.

Speaking at the occasion Minister for IT and Higher Education Punjab Raja Yassir Humayun Sarfraz stated that such collaborations lead to lucrative opportunities and greater ICT interventions. “Strengthening the freelance industry through ICT initiatives would help pave the path to economic stability and national prosperity,” he commented.

“PITB will work closely with PSEB to market and extend all possible support to the freelancing talent and start-ups in Punjab through PITB’s initiatives while initiating new projects as well. We will also work on capacity building of local entrepreneurs through business and sales training activities,” Chairman PITB Azfar Manzoor stated.

Appreciating PITB’s role in developing the IT and freelance industry in Pakistan, MD PSEB Osman Nasir said that PSEB shall market and extend all possible support to the freelancing talent and start-ups in Punjab.

The two organizations aim to work on transfer of knowledge in the felid of IT. They would also work on increasing the academia and industry linkages so that both academia and industry can better understand each other’s needs.

Rs. 3 Billion Worth of New Projects in the Next Fiscal Year – MoIT

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoIT) came up with four new projects of the Special Communication Organization (SCO) under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) 2016-17, against a demand of Rs. 1146.8 million, according to documents, and an estimated cost of Rs. 2766.9 million.

A demand of Rs.1.333 billion for the 9 new schemes for 2016-17 was made by Ministry which includes:

IT Capacity Building of Federal Government Employees (NITB)-Rs 20 million
Replication of e-Health Services at Federally Administrative hospitals (NITB)-Rs 20 million
Research Studies and Updations for ICT Industry- Rs 51 million
IT Industry Support Programs (PSEB)-Rs 37.264 million
Expansion of Broadband Internet Services in AJ&K Phase-II (SCO)-Rs 44-4 million
Expansion of Broadband Internet Services in GB Phase-II (SCO)-Rs 32.5 million
Replacement of GSM Network of AJ&K (Project no. III/2011-2012)-Rs 580 million
Provision of Seamless GSM Coverage along KKH for Proposed Gawadar-Kashighar Economic Corridor in Gilgit-Baltistan (Project I/2014-2015) GB (SCO)-Rs 489 million
Feasibility Study and Consultancy for development of Information Technology (IT) Park at Karachi-Rs 58.287 million.

A proposal of Rs. 2457.832 million was put forward by the MoIT under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) for the year 2016-17 against the Rs. 922.804 marked for the current financial year. Also, two new projects for National Information Technology Board and one of Pakistan Software Development Board were proposed but none for MoITT IT wing and MoIT Telecom wing were proposed in the coming PSDP.

The PSDP for the coming fiscal year 2016-17 was prepared and sent to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology for consideration and recommendation with respect to MoIT and its connected departments, which is a mandate for discussion, proposals and passed by end March.

The proposed layout of PSDP for fiscal year 2016-17 is Rs 2457.832 million against 20 schemes relating to IT & Telecom sectors including 11 old/ongoing and nine new projects.

The government has earmarked Rs 922.804 million including Rs 722.804 million local component and Rs 150 million foreign component. However the data of Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms shows that Rs 1342.549 million has so far been released to IT and Telecom ministry including Rs 1144.5 million foreign aid and Rs 198 million local component.

The Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms does not show the foreign component however, according to the Economic Affaires Division China has released Rs 1144.5 million for construction of cross- border optical fiber cable (OFC) system between China and Pakistan for international connectivity of voice / data traffic under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The government however released no amount against the replication of e-office (basic common applications) at 45 divisions of federal government, research & development unit (Islamabad) and technology parks development project at Islamabad projects.

After getting the passage from standing committee, the proposed PSDP would be presented before the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms for final consideration.

PSEB and Five Pakistani Companies Exhibit at Mobile World Congress

A Pakistan Pavilion was setup in the AppsPlanet hall, where traffic relating to mobile applications is seen, by the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) with five IT companies at the Mobile World Congress for the second year in a row. The five IT companies with the PSEB are Evamp, SecureTech, Versacom, VectorDynamix, and DPL and their exhibits displayed information about their applications and mixed with exhibitors of more than thousand stalls at this largest telecom event of the year.

Secretary IT, Mr. Azmat Ali Ranjha and Chairman PTA, Dr. Ismail Shah, also visited Pakistan Pavilion. They were greeted by MD PSEB, Mr. Asim Shahryar Husain and the exhibitors. PSEB’s efforts with the IT companies were shown by the secretary for the second year consecutively and the importance of participation of Pakistan in such events to increase IT exports and creating awareness about Pakistan’s IT industry. It is to hope that Pakistan’s participation will improve yearly helping increasing the pavilion’s size to reflect the true potential of Pakistan’s IT industry. A documentary has also been played at the pavilion and distributed brochures and USB’s to foreign visitors to the pavilion.

Many countries setup pavilions at Mobile World Congress to showcase products and expertise of their IT companies. The event will run for four days and is expected to generate new foreign leads and business for Pakistani IT companies.

To Attract Foreign Investment, MoIT and PSEB Launch Documentary.

It’s a long way of the Pakistan’s information technology industry. A wide breath of human talent boasting our country evidently by the thriving startup culture and IT prodigies. As per the recent report Pakistani IT exports crossed $2 billion dollars with an annual growth rate of 41%, Now it is poised to grow target to grow to $10 billion in the next 4 years.

There is a need to attract Foreign Investors, and MoIT and PSEB are also aware of this:

To make Pakistan an attractive place to invest in the 21st century, MoIT (The Ministry of information technology) and PSEB (Pakistan Software Export Board) are cognizant of this and rolled out the incentives for the investors which give a great return on investment of this region. Foreign IT companies has an advantage by investing here can have the talent and human resources of Pakistan and also the skilled pool of technology workers. Pakistan’s figures for a rising populace that connected more than ever with 3G/4G telecommunications technology, also rapidly improving Pakistan’s ICT infrastructure .

The below documentary developed by MoIT and PSEB serves as a primer for Pakistan’s investor-friendly IT sector which showing an outline Pakistan’s attarctiveness as an investment destination.

https://www.facebook.com/babarzahoor/videos/10204592417881783/

Without mistake Pakistan’s IT industry set for a boom. To make Pakistan a top destination for global IT giants, now its time to take this as a challenge by Government and private sector to join hands and do all possible things to achieve it. As we go forward into digital future investing in human capital and infrastructure development are considered as top priorities.

PSEB – Internship for 3000 IT graduates yearly in National ICT Internship Programme

PSEB’s Board ready to upgrade the volume of the Prime Minister’s internship programme and endorsed to give internship to three thousand IT graduates including 30% female graduates yearly.

These interns will be set at IT organizations, IT Departments of Telecom Sectors organizations, Banks and other such Organizations. With the goal that IT graduates add to the expertise set to build their employ-ability possibilities. Length of time of the Internship will be 6 months.

It was chosen in 31st directorate meeting which was led by Minister of State for IT Mrs. Anusha Rahman.

Government Secretary IT, Mr. Azmat Ali Ranjha, MD PSEB, Asim Shahryar Husain, Chairman PTA Dr. Ismail Shah, Member Telecom Mudassar Hussain, Member HR/IT Tahir Mushtaq, Chairman @PASHA, Syed Ahmad, and agents from TDAP were likewise present in the meeting.

The Board communicated its worries on sales taxes being required by the commonplace governments on IT Companies considering that IT sends out income is excluded from taxes at present. A four part board of trustees including Member IT, Member Legal, MD PSEB and Chairman @Pasha has been constituted and ordered to look into the “taxation issue” instantly. The Committee will present its report with proposals to the Ministry for thought. A formal lawful feeling in such manner will likewise be looked for through the Ministry of Law and Justice also.

The Minister also coordinated MD PSEB to add to another intelligent site which ought to highlight the advantages of incorporating so as to put resources into Pakistan’s IT industry fundamental points of interest of all IT organizations which are enrolled with PSEB and that it ought to be overhauled all the time.

MD PSEB said that PSEB is working intimately with STEPI Korea to finish feasibility study for another best in class IT park in Islamabad by February 2016. The Minister coordinated PSEB to finish up consenting to the loan arrangement with Korean government by summer of 2016.