Use of IT in Pakistan

There is no doubt Pakistan is quite backward in the field of it if compared to our next door neighbour India .Current Indian software export are 4 billion us dollars per annum and they are expected to rise up to 85 billion dollars per annum by 2008.

Our government, however, is fully conscious of the backwardness of Islamic world in the field of science and Technology. Despite financial constraints it has taken various actions and supplied generous funds to the ministry of Science and Technology. In July 2000, the Federal cabinet approved a three year action program and allocated Rs.5 billion for this purpose as our government wants to make up for the past lapses. An IT and T. Division have been set up by the ministry of Science and technology to further this cause. In the year 2000-2001, Rs.1100 million were allocated for the IT and T. division budget and the whole among was disbursed for different projects. In year 2001-2002, allocated of Rs.2.5 billion was granted. IT program implementation is going very well and its impact is visible throughout the country .Majority of the project launched by the IT division focus on human resources development throughout the country. All public sector universities have been provided every support to strengthen their IT department and at least double the financial enrolment lately another major initiative of granting endowment funds to universities has been launched to facilities higher studies (Ph.d, M.phil etc) In it the IT and T. Division is providing every support to universities for capacity building of the IT departments. It includes helping in finding foreign qualifies, faculty, training in-house faculty, etc. Besides a number of project amounting to more than Rs. 100 million have been launched to develop the local IT industry. Those project include local software development , helping local companies prepare for international business, sponsoring and assisting local companies for IT exhibitions etc. Studies one-commerce are underway and government, working on laws to facilitate electronic commerce.