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Publication details
- Wednesday | 06 Jan, 2021
- Mohammad Yasin
- Books, Annual report
- 175
Since 1993, the SDPI’s Study Group on Information Technology and Telecommunications has been meeting periodically to discuss the challenges that Pakistan is likely to face as a result of this rapidly evolving field. So far, the group has held 62 meetings and done some studies. The emphasis of such studies has been on the efficiency and efficacy of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) infrastructure and services, regulatory issues, taxation, connectivity, and support to institutions. The Study Group has been bringing to bear the experience, opinions and ideas of engineers, scientists, economists, academics, business people and other relevant experts’ knowledge in the field. With hindsight it is now easy to recapitulate that without moving with the evolution of ICTs, what would have been our fate during the COVID-19. Although, Pakistan’s ICT infrastructure and Internet penetration is not at the stage where it should have been, but the current level has served us fairly well. This has been separately explained in this document. Contained in this publication are the recommendations of the group submitted to the policy makers and other stakeholders from time to time. It also indicates the status of various recommendations. Also included in this document are the recommendations through other studies/policy briefs prepared by SDPI to draw the government’s attention towards the importance of the ICT sector and its needs. Two policy letters/papers written to the Prime Minister in 1993 (when the group used to function from the platform of Prime Minister’s Committee for Research and Analysis) and the other to the Government of Pakistan in 1995, are also annexed. The main purpose of these papers was to recommend the way forward to successfully enter the twenty first century by enhancing the pace of development in the emerging field of ICTs. SDPI expresses with satisfaction that a number of Study Group’s recommendations have either been implemented, or are in the process of implementation as shown against these. Policy making institutions, regulatory set-up and parliamentary committees are now fully cognizant of keeping pace with the evolution of ICTs and meeting the challenges that present themselves. Input/feedback from the readers would be welcome