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IT policy on

the anvil

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: The National Information Technology Policy is ready and will be made public soon. This was stated by the Federal Secretary for Science and Technology Javed Masood while inaugurating the 18th annual computer exhibition at a local hotel on Tuesday.

The exhibition was organised by the Computer Society of Pakistan (CSP) will remain open for three days.

He said that the IT policy in his opinion should create an enabling environment and provide competitive even playing field for all the stakeholders, particularly the private sector which has to be the engine of growth in the IT field.

He said Pakistan though has ample potential at present was lacking in world class institutions as compared with the neighbouring countries.

He said that the decision of the Chief Executive to grant liberal charters to private IT institutions is timely and welcome.

He said COMSAT had already been cleared by the University Grants Commission and their request for a charter would shortly be considered by the cabinet.

With regard to holding of computer exhibition, he said at the moment, the level of PC utilisation is extremely low. In a population of 130 million, only three million PCs have been sold of which only one million are active.

Annual sales are in the region of 3-4 lacs.