Federal Minister for IT Shaza Fatima announced that the government is increasing facilities for youth in the IT sector. She said eight incubation centres are currently operational across the country. From Hyderabad alone, startups worth over Rs1 billion have emerged, while nationwide startups have exceeded Rs30 billion.
According to Shaza Fatima, more than 3.3 million young people are being trained each year and many are starting their own businesses. She explained that the government is working to enhance human resources and improve infrastructure to strengthen the industry.
The minister added that significant progress has been achieved in collaboration with universities and iCloud. She noted that Pakistan is expected to gain major benefits from the IT sector in the coming years.
Shaza Fatima highlighted that the purpose of the Digital Pakistan Act is to shift the country toward modern digital systems. She stressed that digitalisation is transforming every sector of life and will improve services for citizens.
She further said that in partnership with NADRA, the government is compiling digital data of all citizens, while ensuring complete security of individual records. Under the Green Initiative, digital systems will also be applied to agriculture. She explained that digital data will help identify challenges in farming and provide long-term solutions.
The minister confirmed that fibre optic coverage will be expanded to 60% in the next three years. She emphasised that the government is committed to making Pakistan a regional digital hub.
Meanwhile, concerns were raised in parliament regarding recent data leaks. Reports revealed that sensitive information of hundreds of thousands of citizens, including Hajj applicants, was being sold on the dark web for as little as Rs500. Lawmakers criticised the government for delays in passing a data protection bill, warning that breaches pose risks to national security.
In other news read more about: Pakistan to Link Digital Payment System with Arab Monetary Fund’s Buna Platform
