The vision of a digital Pakistan is to put the country on the map as far as technology and innovation are concerned. With a country that has a total population of 220 million, 65% of which is under 25 years of age, Digital Pakistan will aim to create an environment where entrepreneurship and innovation takes place.
To support young startups, various steps have been taken to provide an enabling environment to develop their talents for a better future. Setting up National Incubation Centers across Pakistan in collaboration with companies like PTCL, LMKT, Ignite, etc., has not only given confidence to young people to present their ideas but also created job opportunities.
Supporting the local entrepreneurial ecosystem and creating a positive business environment, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) hosted the first-ever Creative Fest in Peshawar. It presented a fantastic opportunity to showcase the local talent pool that focused on innovation and turning their dreams into a reality. Local talent came together at this event to exhibit their work at Islamia University, Peshawar, which included innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups.
The two-day exhibition not only provided a window of opportunity but also a platform to promote and market local businesses and startups. The event had stalls from across the province where innovative ideas from almost all walks of life were presented. They were facilitated with a dedicated space that featured their designs and also gave them a chance to interact with the right people to pitch their ideas for possible investment.
Fawad Chaudhary, Federal Minister for Science & Technology, was the chief guest, while Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Finance Minister, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, inaugurated the exhibition, along with Zia Ullah Bangash, Advisor to Chief Minister on ST&IT.
Advisor to CM for ST&IT, Finance Minister KP, MD KP Information Technology Board and other dignitaries visited stalls at the exhibition, where various universities, colleges, schools, and ICT companies exhibited their innovative products and ideas. During their visit to the PTCL stall, they were briefed by Suleman Awan, General Manager Digital Services about PTCL’s contribution towards a Digital Pakistan.
He further elaborated how connectivity and communication play a key role in the transformation from traditional to e-governance, making digitalization convenient and economical for the masses and serving corporate entities with PTCL’s digital services such as the state-of-the-art Tier-III Certified Data Centers and Cloud Computing services. All the visitors appreciated PTCL’s contribution and initiatives to support digitalization, whether at the consumer level or corporate level throughout Pakistan.
Zarrar Hasham Khan, Chief Business Services Officer, PTCL, also spoke on the occasion and gave valuable insight on the role of PTCL in the digital transformation of Pakistan. He further explained that PTCL being a leading ICT and also a national company, can support the Digital Pakistan vision by ensuring easy and affordable access to connectivity, IT infrastructure and solutions across the country.
In conclusion, the government dignitaries present on the occasion recognized PTCL’s contribution towards the youth, local businesses, startups and innovators. Zia Ullah Bangash, Advisor to CM for ST&IT, also extended a special thanks to the PTCL management for their collaboration with the KP government.
