Minister Khawaja Champions Pakistan's IT Sector Growth

Pakistan's Minister of State for Information Technology and Communications, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, has reaffirmed the government's commitment to bolstering the country's IT sector by championing and assisting the private industry. Speaking at the Global Digital Summit during the 24th ICTN Asia Conference, Minister Khawaja praised the enthusiasm for technology and its transformative impact on economies and societies. She emphasized the significance of such summits in fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange among stakeholders from both public and private sectors.

Minister Khawaja highlighted the vast opportunities available in the IT field for Pakistan's youthful population, comprising sixty-eight percent of the country. She outlined the government's vision to provide extensive skill training in IT for the youth, aligning with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's agenda to revise policies and legislation to support private sector growth and innovation.

Addressing challenges such as cybersecurity and the skills gap, Minister Khawaja viewed them as opportunities, particularly in harnessing Pakistan's young demographic for national progress. She stressed the need to modernize education systems to bridge the gap in skilled labor and employable graduates, advocating for industry-academia partnerships and updated university curricula to meet industry demands.

Minister Khawaja unveiled plans for a National Digitization Plan, focusing on governance, economy, and society, incorporating modern concepts like the Pakistan stack to streamline services for individuals. The government's proactive stance towards enhancing the IT industry signals a promising future for Pakistan's technological landscape.