PM Emphasizes The Need To Provide Maximum Financial And Professional Support For The IT Sector

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said there is a need to provide maximum financial and professional support to the youth to use their immense potential in the IT sector which could also guarantee the county’s prosperity.

The prime minister said the network of incubation centres needs to spread across the country by carving out maximum funding keeping in view the country’s future. He said so while addressing the launching ceremony of PM’s Freelancer and Venture Capital Initiative, and National Innovation Award Investor Connect.

PM Emphasizes The Need To Provide Maximum Financial And Professional Support For The IT Sector

By considering the talent and importance of IT, Rs 2 billion allocated for venture capital is not enough.

He said the network of incubation centres should have been spread countrywide some 10 years ago. Moreover, he recalled the establishment of Arfa Karim Tower in 2009 when he was the Punjab chief minister.

He said there is a need to increase the IT endowment fund by billions annually. The next government should facilitate the IT sector by bringing billions of dollars to the country.

Minister for IT and Telecommunications Syed Aminul Haq said his ministry was coordinating and cooperating to execute the prime minister’s vision of Digital Pakistan. He said the ministry was facilitating around 20 incubation centres in various parts of the country.

He told that efforts were underway to enhance women’s participation in IT start-ups. During the last five years, out of 1387 start-ups, 37% of startups were initiated by women.

He said the IT ministry was endeavouring to increase connectivity as a prerequisite for IT growth. He said cellphone users grew from 160 million to 195 million and broadband users from 70 million to 122 million.

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