Islamabad June 10 2021: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and Ultra soft System for setting up software technology park in Quetta here on Thursday.
The Ultra soft technology park, with a space of 13,800 sq.ft, would be set up near Quetta International Airport. Osman Nasir, Managing Director, PSEB and Asif Naeem, CEO, Ultrasoft System signed the MoU.
Addressing the occasion, Syed Amin Ul Haque, Federal Minister for Information Technology & Telecommunication said that Quetta is the largest city in Balochistan and thus the hub of social, cultural, and economic activities in Balochistan. He said that the IT Industry is receiving top priority from the present government to improve Pakistan’s economy, create jobs and lift the overall quality of life. In this regard, the government has decided to set up an information technology park near the Jinnah International Airport in the trade and business hub of Karachi at a cost of PKR31 billion.
He said that the industry is being provided strong government support and extremely attractive incentives. There are several projects intended to facilitate and assist IT Industry in its growth trajectory and ensure continued momentum in the local and export earnings upward, he said. Syed Amin Ul Haque said that Pakistan’s information and communication technology industry has delivered stellar export earnings performance.
He said that ICT export remittances, including telecommunication, computer and information services surged to USD1.7 billion at a growth rate of 45.88 percent during July-April of FY 2020-21, in comparison to USD 1.07 billion during July-April of FY 2019-20.
He said it is vital to ensure the participation of women in the IT sector as they can play important role in the export of IT products. Osman Nasir, Managing Director, Pakistan Software Export Board said that following the direction of Minister for IT, PSEB has setup an industry facilitation center to extend maximum assistance to the IT companies in Quetta.
There is strong demand for STPs in the country due to the booming IT industry and STPs are being set up on a public-private sector partnership basis. It is worth mentioning here that as per SECP data, there are 65 registered IT/ITeS companies in Balochistan out of which 61 are operating in Quetta city. PSEB is setting up more STPs through the conversion of unused and vacant buildings into state-of-the-art STPs, he said. He said is underway for establishing technology parks in the universities.
