ISLAMABAD, May 14 (APP): Adviser to the Prime Minister on IT Sardar Latif Khosa said Pakistan was using potential of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in education, employment, environment, empowerment, energy and equality as the visionary tools of Pakistan People's Party manifesto envisioned by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.
The Advisor expressed these views while addressing the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) 2010 Forum, says a press release received here on Friday.
He conveyed the democratic government was acting to solve the problems of youth, which stood at almost 60 percent of population of over 170 million by using ICT and highlighted innovative use of Universal Service Fund for expanding Broadband penetration, establishing community tele-centers and affordable voice telecommunication system availability by outreaching to the rural and far flung areas of thr country.
The Advisor highlighted Pakistan's ICT Research and Development (R&D) Funds contribution towards research and development in ICT related projects and providing scholarships for students, training teachers and thus enabling export of skilled workforce for flow of FDI.
He projected the Benazir Income Support programme as the government's initiative of using technology based smart cards in ameliorating hardships of the poor womenfolk. He informed that tele-density of 63.5 percent was one of the highest in the region.
The Advisor effectively made pakistan's case for use of ICT in addressing major challenges the country facing today and added Pakistan is looking at the utility of ICT as one of main drivers of economic development.
"Broadband being an important element in the regard can help address many challenges related to governance particularly in the field of education, health, energy, infrastructure development, etc. It can be equality beneficial in the field of disaster management and fighting cyber crime," the Advisor maintained.
The Advisor is on four-day visit to Geneva to participate in the summit and was received by Dr. Hamadoun I.Toure, Secretary General of ITU. Earlier, both the dignitaries held meeting and agreed ICT could provide solutions to challenges of poverty reduction, education and health care prevention as well as natural disaster/emergency management and unemployment.
Dr Tours assured full support to Pakistan in all these areas including increasing its broadband penetration.
