Who’s caretaker ‘IT, Science & Technology’ minister?

on 24/10/2023

Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technology, Telecommunication, Science & Technology Dr Umar Saif has expressed his commitment to propel the IT exports beyond $10 billion and lead a nationwide digitalization effort.
Addressing the ministry officers after assuming the charge, he said,” My priorities are to fully implement the Digital Pakistan Vision and further promoting the of IT (information technology) & telecommunication sectors. We will take all the stakeholders on board in this regard.”
The minister said increase in the ICT exports could help stabilise the economy and in the provision of decent employments to skilled people, as well as the desire to fully digitize all the government and semi-government departments, and organizations of the country.
Dr Umar Saif, who took oath as minister on Thursday, was received by Secretary IT Navid Ahmed Shaikh along with other senior officers. He was introduced to all the officers and staff of the ministry. Later he was given a detailed briefing about the completed, ongoing, and future projects of the IT Ministry.
Dr Umar Saif said as per the Constitution of Pakistan, the responsibilities and powers of the caretaker government were limited, as its main objective was to conduct free, fair and impartial general elections.
However, monitoring and taking care of the important ministerial affairs were also necessary during the period, he added.
Dr Umar Saif is a very well-reputed and known figure in the world of ICT. He is the first Pakistani to receive a PhD in Computer Science from Cambridge University at the age of 23. He is also graduated from the School of Executive Education on Global Leadership and Public Policy.
The IT minister has an extensive experience in academia, management, consulting, and entrepreneurship in the field of IT.
He has served in several important positions in the country’s IT sector. He has also served as Chairman of the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) and Vice Chancellor of Information Technology University.
In 2014, he was awarded Sitara Imtiaz, one of the highest civilian awards of Pakistan, in recognition of his outstanding services for the country.
He is the first Pakistani to be included in the World’s Top 35 Young Innovators (TR35) in 2011 by MIT Technology Review.
He is also the first Pakistani to receive the Google Faculty Research Award in 2011. He was also selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2010.
Dr Saif received the MIT Technovator Award in 2008, Mark Weiser Award in 2008, IDG CIO Technology Pioneer Award in 2008 and Digital Award from Microsoft Research in 2006. His research papers have received best paper awards at ACM CHI 2013 and IEEE Perco in 2008 and many other international awards.

Caretaker Minister for Mines visits DUET, Karachi

on 24/10/2023

Caretaker Sindh Minister for Mines and Minerals, Mir Khuda Baksh Mari visited Dawood University of Engineering & Technology (DUE&T), Karachi and inaugurated state-of-the-art High-Tech Performance Computer Laboratories, says the university’s social media outlet.
It says Mr. Mari also explored modern laboratories in the fields of materials and metallurgy, energy, and electronics.
The visit marked a collaboration agreement between Dawood University and the Ministry of Minerals.
The visit concluded on a positive note, highlighting the growing collaboration between academic institutions and government bodies to promote technological advancements and innovative research within the country.

Alsons Technology: Revolutionizing Healthcare

on 24/10/2023

The initiative to improve Pakistan’s healthcare system has been undertaken by Alsons Technology. Initially, they faced numerous challenges as the first Pakistani company dedicated to manufacturing medical devices entirely in-house. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted critical ventilator shortages globally.
In response, ALNNOVENT was created – an Electro-Mechanical ICU ventilator designed, developed, and manufactured by the Alsons Group in Pakistan. This ventilator proves to be a lifesaver within modern ICUs, offering a range of monitoring parameters and modes at a cost-effective price. Looking ahead, Alsons Technology plans to develop a variety of other devices to further support healthcare in Pakistan.

Have engineers really surrendered before power politics

on 24/10/2023

Caretaker Finance Minister Dr. Shamshad Akhtar’s statement that the state of the country’s economic health is worse beyond her anticipation speaks volumes about the situation we are faced with.
Considered to be an eminent economic wizard, Dr. Akhtar’s account before a group of the country’s parliamentarians exposes the fault lines that we are set upon.
Also, interesting enough is the fact that she was telling such a frightening economic story to those {the members of the Senate} who until a few weeks were part and parcel of the agreement that as she believes has tied the hands of caretaker rulers their predecessors.
Not only Dr. Akhtar but also the recipients of her briefing knew what was coming in the next weeks and months after the agreement signed by the Shahbaz government with the International Monetary Institution (IMF).
The state of the economy for which independent economists had already claimed to have entered into the sphere of bankruptcy was no secret and the things had already slipped out of hands. Thus no traditional recipe can turn savior.
Given the backdrop, Pakistan’s Finance Minister Dr. Akhtar, in other words, just told them listen you already know we cannot do anything but to close our eyes. ‘After the agreement with the IMF, there is no fiscal space for giving subsidies for the power tariff to the people of Pakistan,’ she says.
Hike in oil prices and its subsequent impact on power tariff, agreements with Independent Power Projects (IPPS), deep corruption, theft, power losses, mismanagement, and the unwillingness of successive governments to introduce reforms joined hands to tighten the noose around the necks have created unprecedented reactions across Pakistan.
In response to the situation on the ground, caretakers have to do anything but throw unscrupulous offers such as breaking the bills into installments to the people that could not ease the burden at all.
Pakistan’s electricity situation though having a political angle is an engineering story too. Right from policy, planning, and execution, thousands of engineers are involved in this story.
Ironically, most of these engineers including those who were elevated to be part of the parliament and now will be sitting around the table as members of recently-formed engineers’ caucus did not appear to float any engineering solution to address the issues.
Very recently, one of the stalwart engineers who happened to be the prime minister of the country bitterly opposed the Separate Cadre Bill for engineers in Pakistan when it was moved to the lower house of the parliament. Thus, he sided with the bureaucracy and politicians who primarily ruined the economy of the country and brought the people on the roads.
Even now, the caretaker government finds no way but to approach the IMF to create space for subsidies, while the engineers are still busy advocating that their leaders will save the people when they assume power after winning the elections which they even do not know when the elections will really take place.

Gwadar, Mansehra, Turbal airports on focus, PSDP allocates over Rs.6 bn

on 24/10/2023

The federal government has allocated Rs5 billion for the construction and completion of the New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) in Balochistan province.
Under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) 2023-24, the government has set aside Rs5 billion for the NGIA, which will prove vital for air traffic in and out of the strategic port city of Gwadar.
The government is also planning to build a new airport in the Mansehra district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which lies at the most important strategic route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The government has allocated an initial sum of Rs50 million for the starting phases of the airport. The funds will be spent on the establishment of basic aerodrome facilities and the acquisition of land for the construction of the airport.
The government has also decided to establish comfortable accommodation facilities for the officers and ladies of the Airport Security Force (ASF) at various airports in the country. They include Gilgit Airport with a total allocation of Rs50 million, Faisalabad Airport with an allocation of Rs20 million, and Turbat Airport with a total sum of Rs60 million.
The academies of the ASF in Karachi will also get a revamping as the government has decided to spend Rs160 million on their upgradation.
Another important decision taken by the government is to set up a ‘meteorological observatory’ in the scenic valley of Kaghan in Mansehra district to collect data about weather patterns and climatic vagaries.
The total funds allocated for the project are Rs50 million, which also includes funds for the construction of a hostel for operational staff at Balakot.
Similarly, weather surveillance radars will also be set up in Sukkur city of Sindh province and Multan city of Punjab province with a total allocation of Rs60 million to collect data on weather from different parts of the country.
In total, the government has allocated Rs5.34 billion for the ongoing schemes in the Aviation Division of the country and Rs110 million for the initiation of new schemes.
The total allocation for the Aviation Division in the PSDP 2023-24 amounts to Rs5.45 billion, which indicates the government’s active efforts to improve the status of air travel in Pakistan.
The completion of the NGIA will give a much-needed boost to investment and economic activity in Balochistan province as people will be able to freely move in and out of the strategic port city.
Similarly, better and latest weather data collected from state-of-art meteorological facilities will help to keep air travel smooth and safe.
Construction of the new airport in Mansehra will add more thrust to the tourism industry of the country up north.
Air travel represents one of the most exquisite forms of communication in modern hyper-entrepreneurial economies. Essential and healthy air travel facilities increase the country’s access to the liquid capital that circulates in the world for optimal allocation.