20000403

Info tech

high on

govt agenda

ISLAMABAD: Information Technology (IT) is the key element on the economic agenda of the government and is being accorded high priority.

This was stated by a spokesman of the Information Technology and Telecommunication Division under the Ministry of Science and Technology here.

"Widespread use of IT can enable Pakistan leapfrog to sustained economic development," the spokesman said.

He said the cost of IT related telecom infrastructure that includes international private lines (IPLS) and shared bandwidth, have already been reduced by the PTCL making them the lowest in the region.

These costs are being further reviewed by a high level committee comprising the representatives from public and private sectors, constituted under the directive of the Minister for Science and Technology, he added.

The spokesman said the quality of services of PTCL is being improved to match international standards.

Service level agreements would be made to ensure that the customers get the best quality of services at affordable prices.

He also referred to the Chief Executive's December 16, 1999 address to the nation in which he had announced a number of initiatives to promote IT and provision of its infrastructure in the country.ÑAPP