Islamabad, The Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, emphasized the government’s highest priority to offer quality and affordable telecom and internet services during a discussion with Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s Chairman, Major General (Retd) Hafeezur Rehman. This meeting underscored the commitment to digitalization and the resolution of prevailing industry challenges.
According to Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, the assembly addressed pivotal subjects, including the upcoming 5G spectrum auction and strategies to enhance nationwide connectivity. Minister Khawaja affirmed the ministry’s dedication to supporting the telecom sector and tackling its issues, aiming to integrate youth into the digital landscape and create substantial employment opportunities.
The dialogue also extended to social media’s societal impacts, as indicated by a subsequent engagement with a TikTok delegation headed by Fahad Khan Niazi. Minister Khawaja encouraged TikTok to contribute positively to Pakistan’s image, highlighting the influential role of social media platforms in public education and awareness.
Islamabad, Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal has articulated the need for an economic long march in Pakistan, emphasizing the importance of opposition’s cooperation in parliament to propel the country forward. The statement came after acknowledging the completion of elections and the formation of governmental bodies, suggesting a shift towards constructive political engagement. Iqbal also touched on the satisfaction with ongoing talks with the IMF but condemned protests by a political party outside the IMF office as ‘economic terrorism.’
According to Ministry of Planning Development and Special Initiatives, Iqbal criticized the disruption of IMF discussions by local political protests and outlined the necessity of moving away from reliance on loans and aid. He highlighted the need to enhance Pakistan’s production capacities and declared an ‘export emergency’ to boost the economy. Reflecting on the past year’s initiatives, the Ministry of Planning had established five strategic areas—export, energy, equity, e-Pakistan, and environment—under the 5Z framework, aiming for comprehensive development across these sectors with collaborative input from various ministries.
Further in his interview with a private TV channel, the Federal Minister underscored the vital role of Pakistan’s Chambers of Commerce in augmenting sectors like agriculture and information technology through value addition, drawing parallels with the developmental strides taken by countries like Korea and Japan. He committed to driving national development over the next five years and addressed the sensitive issue of the 18th amendment, advocating for discussions with provinces on crucial matters including the Benazir Income Program.
Iqbal also provided a breakdown of the federal budget, outlining the challenges faced due to heavy debt repayments and allocations for various governmental functions and subsidies, all predominantly financed through loans—a situation he deemed unsustainable for the country’s governance. Additionally, he mentioned the previous government’s negotiations with extremists and stressed the importance of fostering amicable relations with Afghanistan, with support from nations like Qatar.
Karachi, In a significant move towards enhancing urban security, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah approved a Rs5.5 billion agreement between the Sindh Police Department and the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) on March 20, for the first phase of the Smart Safe City project in Karachi’s red zone. The agreement aims to improve surveillance and security through the installation of advanced technological systems, including 1,300 CCTV cameras equipped with facial recognition and automatic number plate recognition capabilities across 300 sites in the red zone and airport corridor.
According to Chief Minister Sindh, the meeting where the agreement was finalized was attended by prominent officials, including Home Minister Zia Lanjar, Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, and IG Police Riffat Mukhtar, among others. The project envisages a comprehensive security upgrade, integrating a 193 km optical fiber cable network connecting 18 police stations to a central Command and Control Centre, initially at CPO and eventually a permanent setup at KPO.
The Smart Safe City project is designed to leverage artificial intelligence for crime prevention and management, including monitoring hospitals for criminals or suspects, multiple camera tracking, database management of criminals, and integration with national and international criminal databases. The Chief Minister expressed high expectations for the project, emphasizing its importance for the city’s safety and the goal of completing the first phase within one and a half years, despite NRTC’s two-year project timeline.
Highlighting Karachi’s growing population, projected to increase further by 2030, Syed Murad Ali Shah underlined the critical need for technological integration and cybersecurity to manage crime, public unrest, disaster response, and traffic safety effectively. The project’s conceptual framework includes rapid service delivery, digital forensics, situational awareness, real-time monitoring, systematic traffic and crowd management, timely response to incidents, and intelligent data correlation.
The signing of the agreement by Director General Sindh Safe Cities Authority Asif Aijaz Shaikh and Managing Director NRTC Brig Asim Ishaque marks a significant step forward for Karachi, promising a safer and more secure environment for its residents.