By Uzma Zafar
KARACHI: President Dr Arif Alvi Monday urged the need to bring the country’s Information Technology sector at par with European and US standards besides ensuring data security.
He emphasized the need for one window operations for IT sector in order to narrow down the gap between our production capacity and the IT challenges of the 21st century.
The President expressed these views while chairing a meeting with the delegation of Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), led by President OICCI Irfan Siddiqui here.
Talking to the delegation, the President said that business communities like OICCI needed to develop liaison and collaboration with academia in order to have market driven approach within existing infrastructures. He added that the government had put the right policies in place regarding business expansion and the IT intellectuals needed to capitalize on these policies so as to contribute to the national development.
Highlighting the pivotal role of the IT sector in the economic development, the President said that smart management of country’s resources and adopting an IT-driven approach to business could produce positive results and help overcome the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The President also underlined the need for women empowerment and granting differently abled persons their rights. He urged the business community to raise breast cancer awareness in their respective business places during the entire month of October.
Members of the OICCI delegation appreciated the government policies and expressed confidence in the country’s future.Separately, President Dr. Arif Alvi has stated that peace in Afghanistan will bring prosperity to the region and open a window of business opportunities for the world to connect with Central Asian states through the war-torn country.
“Devastation in Afghanistan means more refugees in Pakistan. We don’t want any instability in our neighboring country and hope to see an ‘inclusive government’ representing all political stakeholders,” Dr Alvi said in an interview with Khaleej Times during his two-day visit to UAE.
Dispelling the impression that Islamabad has been backing the change in regime, the President said Pakistan is not an active player in Afghanistan.
“We are just helping the Taliban on humanitarian grounds as the Afghans are suffering due to sanctions and blockage of funds. There is a flight of capital from Pakistan to Afghanistan. So, it is in our interest to bring stability in the country,” he said in the interview published by Khaleej Times on Monday.
The newspaper quoted President Alvi terming the US withdrawal “a hasty call” and that there was no military solution in Afghanistan.
“We always tried to persuade the US into avoiding war, and back negotiations as a better solution. If US and Nato forces are unable to bring stability in Afghanistan despite spending $2.3 trillion, then how will Pakistan be able to do that?,” the president asked.
