Latif Khan Khosa for Taking Telecom Operators on Board on 3G Launch
Advisor to Prime Minister on IT & T Sardar Latif Khan Khosa Wednesday reiterated government’s strong resolve to launch the Third Generation (3G) Technology as the country needed to match the modern trends of the new age.
He said, “It is a technology era and you cannot leg behind the world in technology. As a forward looking country, Pakistan has to progress and we would have to adopt new technology trends. Since my party believes in reconciliation, we would take all the stakeholders into confidence over the initiative”.
When asked about resistance by some leading cellular operators against 3G launch, Khosa brushed aside the impression, saying that the telecom operators wanted to be taken on board over the new technology.
“Reconciliation was the vision of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed and I am following the same. We don’t have any prestige problem. Some people term the government’s reconciliatory approach as retreat. But we don’t have any ego problem. Interest of the country is supreme for us. We believe in reconciliation and not politics of vendetta or victimisation,” he added.
Khosa said he would take the technology to the poor living in villages and towns. “My mission is to provide computers in schools at villages and towns to bring the poor and deprived children at par with those belonging to the privilleged class,” he added.
Khosa said he would also focus manufacturing of the technology gadgets in the country which would not only save foreign exchange reserves but create job opputunities for the youth also.
“I would visit Telephone Industry of Pakistan at Haripur next week . Initiaaly we would start assembling of telephone gadgets .Later local manufacturing of the modern gadgets would be undertaken,” he added.
When asked whether the cellular companies would invest to upgrade their shabby infrastructure, the advisor said no company could remain clung to the old techniques and has to go for upgradation in this age of competitiveness.
“I would conduct countrywide visits to pursue the companies for upgrading basic infrastructure of the telecom sector,” he added.
Later, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Fund Dr. Qasim Sheikh briefed the advisor about the vision and role of the National ICT R&D Fund.
“The Fund was formed to transform the country’s economy into a knowledge-based one by promoting efficient, sustainable and effective ICT initiatives through synergic development of industrial and academic resources. The Fund has taken up a challenging task of capacity building in the arena of ICT and nurturing it towards sustained development of an R&D culture in Pakistan,” he added.
He said the joint Industry-academia research was one of the key vehicles used to promote innovation in the ICT industry and to promote a research culture in academic institutions of Pakistan.
“National ICT R&D Fund has the mandate to fund sound technical R&D proposals. The company encourages concrete proposals in the field of Information and Communication Technology. The organization believes in an accurate mobilization of its resources where emphasis is given to achieve technical excellence, innovation and its diffusion and positive impact on the economic growth of the country and for the benefit of the society at large,” he added.
“The National ICT R&D fund is committed to developing an ICT centric research culture within Pakistan. The Fund has made significant contribution by providing funding for concrete ICT related technical R&D projects. It provides a platform for funding ideas of researchers and academicians for developing ICT related solutions and products and encourages industry-academia joint partnership to provide solutions to industrial problems and to promote ICT tools in industrial sector,” he added.
The advisor lauded the performance of Fund and directed its officials to focus on the poor and deprived children, especially from far-flung areas.
(Source: APP)
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why insist 2g not 4g
Well junaid, the words “4G” and “in Pakistan” in one line are something like dreams, lets forget about 4G right now we have to make 3G enabled Pakistan, first.
ahsan is absolutely right …
but it will surely be too much costly…
and first u have to buy 3g enabled devices which the 60% of the pakistan’s nation cannot buy…
Nah, as per my point of view, that would not be an issue, 3G enable handsets are available in affordable price now, the only problem left behind is the availability of 3G network.