ISLAMABAD: Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, established a Steering Committee on Thursday with representatives from the IT and private sectors to implement digital transformation and boost exports.
According to a news release, the minister made the announcement while speaking at a roundtable conference on “Digital Transformation in Pakistan” hosted by the Ministry of Planning Development & Special Initiatives. Speaking at the event, the planning minister emphasized that the IT sector was the main factor in the growth of digital exports and reiterated the government’s commitment to give the sector top priority in order to achieve this growth. The Steering Committee will meet once a month to discuss how to put the OCCI’s advice on digital transformation into practice.
“To increase exports is the only solution to get rid of the country’s economic problems,” Ahsan Iqbal said while assuring the stakeholders to implement the OCCI’s recommendations in letter and spirit.
Earlier, a report on “Pakistan’s Digital Journey, Recommendations for Digital Transformation in Pakistan” was launched by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce & Industry (OCCI).
The report prepared by OICCI covers wide-ranging suggestions to boost digital infrastructure and connectivity, e-governance, e-commerce, EdTech, Fintech, AgriTech, HealthTech, IT exports and Web 3.0 technologies.
The report argues that digitization has the potential to add $60 billion to the economy by 2030 if the government creates a favourable investment climate for local and foreign investors to fill the large gaps that existed in digital infrastructure and connectivity.
Last week, the Planning Minister formed a 15-member National Task Force on Artificial Intelligence to achieve the required national development goals.
The key objective of the task force is to develop a 10-year roadmap for accelerated adoption of AI in the business, development, governance, education and healthcare sectors.
Since the government came into power in April 2022, several initiatives have been taken to improve the country’s economy.
Ahsan Iqbal has constantly been arguing that political stability was the key factor for the country’s economic growth.
“Due to political instability; Pakistan, unfortunately, could not achieve development targets which its neighboring countries like India and Bangladesh have achieved by ensuring the political stability for the period of 10 years,” the minister remarked.
