Pakistan to uplift IT sector for growth, innovation, PM says as he chairs a review meeting in Islamabad.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced plans to establish a modern and sustainable Information and Computer System in Pakistan, aiming to position the country as a regional hub for the IT industry.
He made these remarks while presiding over a review meeting in Islamabad regarding the development of an IT training ecosystem in Pakistan.
He emphasized the need to equip youth with cutting-edge IT skills to support local digital transformation through specialized training programs.
The Prime Minister stressed that IT education should focus on employability, enabling young people to secure jobs within the sector. He assured that skilled IT professionals would be made available to local companies to help them meet global standards and attract foreign exchange.
He instructed the preparation of well-defined terms of reference for hiring consultancy services for the training system.
Shehbaz Sharif directed that a clear timeline be established for the system’s development and urged its swift completion.
He also called for practical and constructive training programs that can empower youth to contribute globally, recognizing the young talent as Pakistan’s greatest resource.
The Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Federal Education, HEC, NAVTTC, and the IT Ministry to collaborate in delivering IT education across all academic levels, including schools and universities.
He further instructed that summer camps during the current holidays be used to offer IT training.
Officials briefed the meeting that progress is underway to launch a modern IT training system, with consultancy terms nearing finalization. So far, 20,000 students have received advanced IT training in collaboration with Huawei.
Notably, Pakistani students trained under this initiative last year earned top three global positions in IT competitions, among participants from 200,000 international students. The Prime Minister congratulated these students for bringing pride to the nation.
The meeting also reviewed steps to train an additional 80,000 students through a partnership between HEC and Huawei, with online classes being expanded to remote areas like Turbat and Balochistan.
A separate target has been set to train 50,000 instructors in regions such as Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Islamabad with modern and relevant IT courses.
The briefing highlighted a broader goal of training 300,000 students by integrating IT training into bachelor’s degrees and initiating AI programs.
Additionally, 146,000 children are set to receive IT training this summer through joint efforts of the Education Ministry, IT Ministry, and Huawei.
Under the PM’s Youth Program, 2,000 young men and women will soon begin specialized IT training to enhance their job prospects.
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