Ahmed Mukhtar Naqshbandi
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday, expressed his anger over the performance of the Special Technology Zones Authority and formed a committee to ensure revival of the STZA operations as soon as possible.
While chairing a high-level meeting on the STZA, the prime minister assigned Ishaq Dar to lead the committee while IT minister, law minister, SAPM Ahad Cheema, Senator Afnanullah and Chairman CDA will serve as member.
According to the press release issued by PM office, Shehbaz Sharif instructed the committee to present its recommendations within a week and also issued directions for prompty perationalization of the STZA’s board of governors which would include experts from the relevant field.
PM concerned over operations of Special Technology Zones Authority
The Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said any wastage of pubic resources would not be tolerated, adding that the skilled youth in the country was earning livelihood at their own but the relevant authority was lying dysfunctional.
He further said that instead of investing in real estate, the STZA’s real objective was to promote technology, adding that no further delay in the reformation and operationalisation of the Technology Authority would be acceptable.
The prime minister said that in the tenure of the Pakistan Muslim League-N, they introduced skill education to the youth with a view to boost IT exports. He added that in the time of COVID pandemic, hundreds of thousands of youngsters earned livelihood by using laptops given by the PML-N government.
Later the meeting was informed that 400 companies were registered with the STZA, out of 63% were from Pakistan and the rest belonged to China, Turkey, USA, and other countries.
The prime minister directed the officials of STZA to ensure effective implementation of the measures for promotion of IT exports of the country.
Federal ministers Ishaq Dar, Syed Aminul Haq, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Advisor to PM Ahad Cheema, and other officers attended the meeting.
