20000214

New ministry

being set up

for promotion of

IT, says Moin

KARACHI: Interior Minister Lt. Gen. Moin Uddin Haider (Retd) has said that a new ministry is being set up for promotion of Information Technology (IT) and its announcement will be made after formal approval by the cabinet.

Inaugurating the Sir Adamjee Institute of Technology here on Saturday evening, Moin Haider said the existing Ministries of Education and Science would be merged with the new ministry.

The Information Technology, he pointed, is spreading too fast and through its use tremendous foreign exchange can be earned.

He said Pakistan's share in this field is much less whereas its neighbouring country was earning billions of dollars with the export of software.

Moin said there is no lack of talent in Pakistan and much ground can be gained in the field of IT if it is trained on proper lines.

He, however, emphasised that quality must be the foremost criterion, while producing software for export and as such there is great need to lay stress on this aspect or else we will prove to be a failure in the field of software export.

He called for going along with the world and for this purpose, he said, "We will have to keep ourselves abreast with the changes taking place in this field."

He eulogised the services of Memon Community in the field of educational promotion and advancement of IT. He said it is high-time for all the well-to-do people to come forward and benefit from the incentives being provided by the government.

Earlier, Pakistan Memon Educational and Welfare Society President Hanif Kalia said plans were afoot to upgrade this institute to a university level in the future.ÑAPP