IT-Telecom Segment: Pakistan, India Talk on Sharing Experiences     
‘Pakistan Times’ Foreign Desk

NEW DELHI (India): Pakistan and India on Wednesday held first day-long meeting of the Working Group on Information Technology and Telecommunications under the auspices of Joint commission and shared their experiences in the field.

Pakistan’s delegation was led by Joint Secretary, Ministry of IT and Telecom, Tauqeer Ahmed while Senior Director, Department of IT R C Sachdeva headed the Indian side on the occasion.

Both sides agreed to continue their talks in the next meeting of the Working Group of Indo-Pak Joint Commission, to be held in Pakistan. However the dates of the meeting would be decided later.

The two sides exchanged views and shared experiences in the field of e-commerce, IT education, Tele-medicines and other areas of mutual interests in this field. The talks were held in a positive and cordial atmosphere.

The possibility of holding of workshops in the field of Information Technology and Telecommunication and promoting bilateral cooperation in the field was discussed extensively during the meeting.

Headed by Joint Secretary Tauqeer Ahmed, Pakistani team comprised Meraj Gul, Senior Programme Manager, Ministry of IT and Telecom and Malik Qamar Abbas Khokhar, Assistant Director (India-II), Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy High Commissioner to India, Mr Afrasiab, Minister (Trade) Fazal Abbas Maken, Syrus Sajjad Qazi, Counsellor and Muhammad Khalid Jamali, First Secretary at Pakistan High Commission also participated in the talks on IT and Telecommunication along with the delegation.

Talks on Health Sector

India and Pakistan on Tuesday concluded threadbare discussion to foster cooperation and collaboration in different areas of health sector at the first meeting of Working Group of Joint Commission.

Both sides agreed to hold next meeting of the Working Group on Health in Islamabad to identify the areas for promoting collaboration in health sector between the two countries, leader of Pakistan delegation and Deputy Director General, Ministry of Health, Dr Muhammad Raza flanked by Deputy High Commissioner to India Mr Afrasiab told the newsmen after the meeting.

Describing the meeting as purposeful and constructive, held in a frank and cordial atmosphere, Dr Raza said it was an ample opportunity for the two countries to comprehend each other’s health system.

Pakistan’s delegation was led by Dr Mohammad Raza, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Health. While Indian side was headed by Bhanu Pratab Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at the meeting.

Leader of Pak delegation said that further discussion would be held in Pakistan at the next meeting of the Working Group to explore certain avenues for cooperation in specific areas, training programme and exchange of expertise.

The first meeting of Working Group under Joint Commission extensively discussed control and management of polio programme and Avian Influenza and traditional medicines, he said.

“We can deliver effectively for the benefit of the people by comprehending each other’s health system”, Dr Raza expressed adding that his Indian counterpart shared details of the health system during the deliberation.

Both sides deliberated upon the salient features of the agenda including collaboration in the field of cost effective and good quality Indian generic drugs, pharmaceuticals and vaccines.

Conducive Environment

And in Rawalpindi, President General Pervez Musharraf said on Wednesday that Pakistan has an excellent infrastructure in IT sector and environment is conducive for investment and development in this sector.

He said this during a presentation by an internationally renowned IT company here today.

President General Pervez Musharraf said Pakistan has the necessary qualified manpower, IT Universities and educational institutions are producing substantial number of qualified people while other educated youth have command over the English language.

He emphasized that this is a strong basis to take a leap in the development of IT and Pakistan needed to exploit this potential fully.

He referred to various initiatives taken by the government during the last six years for the promotion of computer literacy and for software export developed in Pakistan.

The President said the investors can benefit from the hardworking and trained manpower in Pakistan for its operations in other countries.

Welcoming the interest of foreign investors in Pakistan, the President said the government would extend fullest support to it and expressed the hope that they would expand their activities in Pakistan within the shortest possible time.

During presentation, the company gave a broader concept of establishment of IT cities and call centres in Pakistan emphasizing that it would help in raising the IT profile of Pakistan through public-private partnership.

The Minister for Information Technology Owais Leghari and Minister of State for Investment Omer Ahmed Ghumman were also present on the occasion.●