WEB DESK
It may be delayed but not denied the metropolitan finally will get its first-ever Information Technology (IT) Park. in this regard, the breaking ceremony was held today in Karachi. The deadline to complete the project has been set for late 2025.
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Federal Minister for Information Technology Aminul Haque launched the Rs42 billion IT Park, located near Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport.
Sindh IT Minister Tanzeela Umm Habiba, and Sindh Chief Secretary Dr Sohail Rajput, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Additional Director General Air Vice Marshal Taimur Iqbal, Pakistan Software Houses Association (PASHA) Chairman Zohaib Khan, vice chancellors of various universities, chambers of commerce, government officials, CAA representatives, IT professionals, and Counsel Generals of several countries, were present at the ceremony.
The IT Park is spread over 760,000 square feet worth around Rs31 billion. IT has been leased by the CAA for 30 years. There is a possibility to extend the lease for another 20 years.
Haque said that the park was part of the Digital Pakistan vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
He noted that last year, Pakistan’s IT exports stood at $2.6 billion as he praised efforts of IT professionals in the country.
“We are exporting much more IT services than this, but due to complications in tax and foreign exchange, most IT companies do not register exports,” the IT minister said.
He termed the IT Park a game-changer for the country.
“We will try to complete the IT Park project by December 2025 ahead of time,” he directed, noting that the original timeline for the project was 2026.
Korean Bank has given a grant of $180 million for the IT Park.
A panel discussion on “Infrastructure – Need of IT Industry” was also held at the event.
Sindh Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput said that he had been working on the project since June 2021.
“More projects of the Sindh government are also underway and will be completed soon.”
