Pakistan geared to become regional hub of IT & Telecom: PM 
By Aziz Malik 'Pakistan Times' Federal Bureau Chief

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday said owing to the deregulation and privatization policies and opening up of telecommunication sector coupled with various investment-friendly incentives Pakistan is geared to become the regional hub of IT & Telecom business.

He said the competitive and comparative advantage due to the availability of highly skilled human capital, world-class infrastructure and reduced cost of doing business has stimulated phenomenal growth, attracting investments into the country.

The Prime Minister was talking to a delegation of Ericsson headed by Ragnar Back, Chairman Ericsson Operations in Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa who called on him here at the PM House today.

The Prime Minister said Telecommunication today is the fastest growing sector of the country with 27% teledensity. The country has 37 million cellular phone subscribers and the number is fast growing.

He said the use of cellular phones among low-income subscribers is growing and in rural areas the government is providing the facility of phones through the system of wireless local loop.

The Prime Minister said Pakistan has come a long way in developing the IT industry and the total size of IT business in Pakistan has reached about $ 2 billion with 50% growth per annum during the last three years.

This includes domestic industry, hardware and export of software and IT enabled services, he added.

The Prime Minister said the government is in the process of setting up of software technology parks at Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, adding, Islamabad is rapidly growing as an IT and telecom hub.

Ragnar Back apprised the Prime Minister of the plans of Ericsson to expand business in Pakistan.

He said presently the company has employed about 700 professionals in Pakistan and the number will increase to 1000 by the end of this year.

The delegation including Bo-Erik Dahistorm, President of Ericsson Middle East and Zibber Mohiuddin, President and CEO of Ericsson Pakistan praised Pakistan's favourable policy framework.

They presented felicitations on the phenomenal growth and development of telecommunications sector in Pakistan and said it is due to dynamic and visionary leadership of President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

Ragnar Back emphasized the strategic importance of Pakistan and said deregulated markets such as Pakistan are experiencing exponential growth and competition. Ericsson continues to focus on strategic partnerships in these growth markets.

The Ericsson delegation reassured the Prime Minister that Ericsson's top priority in Pakistan was to continue developing the Telecom industry.

Ragnar Back said Ericsson in collaboration with Higher Education Commission and Government of Punjab is working towards the launch of University of Engineering Science and Technology at Sialkot in 2008.

The meeting was also attended by Secretary IT and Telecom and senior officials.●