Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technology, Dr. Umar Saif, recently unveiled an ambitious initiative aimed at addressing the challenges faced by freelancers and start-ups in Pakistan. The project involves the establishment of 10,000 E-Rozgar centers across the country, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. These centers are set to begin operations from January 11 and are designed to provide suitable workspaces for the approximately 1.5 million freelancers who currently lack such resources.
Dr. Umar stressed the crucial need for freelancers to have access to the right tools and an enabling environment to thrive in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. He expressed confidence that the joint E-Rozgar centers would not only benefit individual freelancers but also contribute to increased investment in the country and the creation of new employment opportunities.
In addition to the E-Rozgar initiative, Dr. Umar announced another project starting from January 7. This initiative involves the introduction of a standardized test for IT graduates, conducted through the Higher Education Commission.
The purpose of this test is to assess the skills of IT graduates and provide them with internships upon successful completion. Dr. Umar highlighted the significant gap between the annual production of 75,000 IT graduates from Pakistani universities and the current eligibility of only 3,000 for employment in IT companies.
Dr. Umar encouraged the youth to explore entrepreneurship, emphasizing the potential for earning stipends through E-Rozgar. He also expressed hope that the measures taken, such as allowing IT companies to retain 50% of their receipts in dollar accounts, would lead to a substantial increase in IT exports, projecting the figure to reach $4 billion.
The minister outlined the broader vision of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom, focusing on projects that generate employment opportunities for the country’s youth.
He underscored the ministry’s commitment to advancing Pakistan’s education sector by providing IT skills and empowering skilled manpower within the IT industry. Overall, these initiatives signal a comprehensive effort to propel Pakistan forward in the field of technology and create a conducive environment for the growth of the IT sector.
