Has Pakistan achieved the potential to become a digital power?

Digital initiatives have been taken in Pakistan aiming to achieve socio-economic prosperity and citizen empowerment through digital transformation

People are not ready to accept this, but it is true that Pakistan will soon make its mark in the digital world. According to sources, Pakistan can give the world some unique surprises in the field of digitalization in the coming months.

By Ahmad Saghir

Report: Global Media Networked 

With the passage of time, the new and amazing changes in the field of technology have captivated the whole world. There is no country that is not benefiting from it, or is not participating in the effort to enjoy them. Pakistan is also reaping their fruits. In fact, this is the era of science and technology, and Pakistan is fully participating in the race to move forward according to its requirements. Thousands of IT graduates are earning degrees every year, however, there is a need for a significant increase in government initiatives to help the youth move forward in their professional lives. In this regard, the ICT training program of the Chinese company 

Huawei has opened the door to a digital revolution in the Pakistan. Under which three hundred thousand youth will be provided online technical training. 

More than 20,000 of them have already been trained. In a recent, meeting chaired by Prime Minister Pakistan Mr Shehbaz Sharif reviewed the implementation of agreements signed with Huawei Technologies over the past three years, equipping the youth with digital skills and achieving world-class standards in the IT sector. Various measures were reviewed to provide training. The Prime Minister of pakistan said in his speech on this occasion that youth play a key role in the promotion of technology and the digital revolution. He directed to ensure the speedy implementation of IT training projects under Huawei and said that they should be extended to all provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Representatives of Huawei Technologies expressed their firm commitment to a modern training program in Pakistan and said that under it, youth will be provided training in artificial intelligence, cyber security, cloud computing and other modern technologies. 

For this purpose, the Prime Minister of pakistan will formally inaugurate the ICT Training Portal. Currently, skilling of student trainers and those working in ICT technologies is being done under the program. The implementation of the program will not only increase IT exports but also create employment opportunities for skilled youth. In addition, it will instill a passion for IT and other technical education among the youth, which is very necessary according to the requirements of the modern era. 

A delegation from Huawei also met , who the Prime Minister about the details of their training program in Pakistan. Under the program, master trainers trained by Huawei will train youth at the local level within the country, which will increase the number of skilled people and will also help in increasing employment. Digital technology is a wonder of the modern era that has created a stir in the global economy. Developed countries are taking full advantage of it. 

There is a need for Pakistan to make it the basis of its economic transformation and provide maximum training opportunities to the youth. China is providing extraordinary cooperation to Pakistan in this regard.

Pakistan is planning to sign similar agreements with some other countries to utilize the potential of its youth. In this regard, some private companies are also keen to start software park-style projects for which they have set up their PC1 as well. 

It should be kept in mind that whatever progress rich countries have made, IT capabilities are the main contributor. More than 60% of Pakistan's population consists of youth who can take the country to the top with the knowledge of modern  technology and this will only be possible when the government and the private sector take major initiatives together.

When Global Media Networked spoke to IT experts and scientists about this, they said that although this step has been taken quite late, it is still not too late. They said that Pakistan needs such minds who can be creative in IT. Not only this, but also in software engineering and artificial intelligence, such minds are needed who can develop different types of programs keeping in mind the social structure of Pakistan. Therefore, on the one hand, the government should provide opportunities to the youth, and on the other hand, it should have built such IT and software parks and houses where they can learn technical skills and use them.