Effective use of Information Communication Technology for transforming governance is key pillar of our Pakistan Vision 2025: Minister Ahsan Iqbal

Islamabad, June 26, 2014 (PPI-OT): “Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are transforming the way governments learn, work and communicate with common citizenry all over the world. We aim at employing ICT strategically in governance to achieve inclusive growth and sustainable development of infrastructure and human resource through Pakistan Vision 2025”, said Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal while meeting with Mr. Duncan Mitchell, Senior Vice President, CISCO.

CISCO, being worldwide leader in network security, is sharing its experience for establishing public sector network security infrastructure for increasing the use of e-governance while working in collaboration with countries like England and Australia.

Federal Minister said to Mr. Duncan, “First ICT policy for Pakistan was drafted by PMLN government in 1998-99 and government started investing in human resource development and e-governance particularly in policing and judicial system for monitoring and performance measures. Due to changing scenarios after the devolution now federal governments has redefined its role up to compatibility and inter organization issues in order to bringing harmony and organizational synergy between provincial departments.”

Federal Minister further said, “Even a house cannot be constructed efficiently without having a map but unfortunately during last fourteen years before PMLN government, there was no roadmap for development and progress of the country. However PMLN government has charted out a comprehensive five year plan and Vision 2025 for sustainable development by utilizing immensely available potential in the form of human resource and geographical location.” He invited ideal and proposals from best international practices so that they may be incorporated in Pakistan.

While inviting Mr. Duncan to further invest in Pakistan, the Minister said, “Youth of Pakistan is extremely talented, and well qualified having good exposure to ICT. Multinationals like CISCO can use them for their global operation by investing here.”

Mr. Duncan Mitchell while admitting the potential of Pakistani professionals, told the minister that CISCO has already enhanced its team of Pakistani professionals at its Islamabad Centre up to 50 persons, who are supporting CISCO’s global operations and CISCO plans to enhance its baseline in Pakistan in near future.

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