Sindh govt has completed mega IT projects: Haroon

[Salman]

Sindh govt has completed mega IT projects: Haroon

* IT minister says master plan for Arfa Karim IT project underway

KARACHI: Sindh Information Technology Department has completed mega projects including e-policing, automation of hospital and video-conferencing facilities for promoting e-governance system throughout the province, while it is undertaking two multibillion rupees mega Information and Communication Technology (ICT) projects, Arfa Karim IT City and Geographical Information System (GIS) for Sindh to promote and develop ICT infrastructure for the private sector.

This was stated by Sindh Minister for Information Technology Raza Haroon while speaking at the inauguration of 7th Information and Communication Technology Exhibition and Conference at Karachi Expo Centre on Tuesday.

“The master plan for this flagship IT project was under preparation as 200 acres of land has been acquired and fenced adjacent to Education City while site office is completed. This project will be launched next year,” he added.

Haroon said that GIS will be a model project of Pakistan for creating satellite images of entire province specially all the land and infrastructure facilities. This project will enable Pakistan to have its footprint on the global IT map.

GIS project will provide technological facilities such as tele-metering of water discharge in rivers and canals, weather forecast, navigation, disaster management and land management to the province.

Referring to other IT projects, he said that management information system (MIS) of Civil Hospital has been completed while e-policing project will be completed in June this year. More than 200 cameras have been installed at 40 strategic spots to monitor law and order situation.

Similarly, several districts have been connected to IT network of Sindh IT Department through videoconferencing facility where president, prime minister and chief minister can directly contact the officials.

He highly appreciated the efforts of the organisers Pegasus Consultancy for holding CONNECT-2012, on regular basis despite disturbed law and order and economic slow down. Such events give positive signals to outside world about the potentials of Pakistan and improve the image of the country on international scene, he noted.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister of Science and IT Mohammad Ayub Khan said that his government was keen to promote IT sector in the province and therefore offer various facilities at 80 percent discount to IT companies besides providing free Internet connection.

He said that 27 companies have started working in the IT Park in Peshawar while more companies are coming to IT centre in Abbottabad and the government has decided to hire other places to accommodate them.

He pointed out that a vast opportunity is available for Pakistani IT companies in neighboring Afghanistan and said soon he will be taking an IT delegation to Kabul to explore business.