ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Caretaker Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Dr. Umar Saif inaugurated the Country’s first e-Rozgar Center in Islamabad on Tuesday.
The e-Rozgar Centre has been established in National Testing Services (NTS) building with the collaboration of Excel Consulting Services, and contains 100 workstations equipped with all facilities for freelancers.
Tgh Additional Secretary MoITT Ayesha Humaira Moriani, Member IT Syed Junaid Imam, Project Director Amir Ahmed, Chairman EC Services, Nazir Qureshi, officials from MoITT, NTS, PSEB and a large number of freelancers were present on the occasion.
While addressing the inaugural ceremony, the Caretaker IT Minister Dr. Umar Saif said that with the establishment of the center, the project of setting up 10,000 e-rozgar centers across the Country now begins officially, and we have also fulfilled another promise made to the people where a significant number from the existing 1.5 million and upcoming new freelancers can work independently at very low rates. These facilities consist high-speed internet, UPS, training centers, individual cabins, meeting rooms and separate office rooms for start-ups.
Dr. Umar Saif said that with the completion of this great project, IT exports may increase soon by US$ 10 billion annually, and under public-private partnership, these centers will also be able to significantly increase the capacity and income of freelancers.
While the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) will be responsible for providing freelancers and required technical support for these centers.
Dr. Umar Saif said that e-rozgar centers in other cities are also nearing completion. we have taken all the required steps for the digital ecosystem in Pakistan, and we have also used all available forums to declare Pakistan as a “Technology Destination” internationally.
The minister said that the toughest decisions related to the IT and Telecom sector have been taken in the short period of the caretaker tenure. This has been possible only because of the most important forum of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
A conducive environment for the upcoming government and a complete roadmap of Digital Pakistan has been made, he said, adding that hopefully the newly elected government will continue to play its full role in promoting Pakistan’s digital economy.