Minister launches IT park in Karachi

KARACHI: Federal Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin ul Haque on Monday launched Pakistan’s largest Information Technology Park project in Karachi to facilitate the fastest growing IT sector in the metropolis.

The minister laid the foundation stone in a ceremony held at the project site near Karachi Airport that would provide state of the art facilities to national and international companies besides job opportunities to more than 20,000 IT professionals.

The project was approved by the executive committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) at an estimated cost of Rs41.39 billion which included a loan amounting to $158.416 million by Korean Exim Bank and Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) local share of Rs6.25 billion. The project would be completed in June 2026.

Haque felicitated the entire country on the launch of the project and said that projects of public interest were the first priority of the government.

He said that the dream of Karachi IT Park had to go through a long process and now it has come true by overcoming all the difficulties and with hard work of all the concerned quarters.

The largest IT project of its kind in Pakistan would benefit not only the citizens of Karachi, but also the IT professionals and companies of the entire country, he said. He called for gearing up the development work so that the project could be completed in the shortest possible time.

The core objective of the park was to provide a place equipped with IT and telecommunication basic infrastructure requirements, clean facilities and ample working space to enable innovative businesses develop and prosper, the minister said.

The Karachi IT Park would support the creation and development of knowledge-based enterprises besides offering a range of services, boost knowledge based economy, entrepreneurship and latest Technologies as well, he added.

The park’s eleven storey building would provide office space to nearly 225 startups and Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and other ancillary facilities like testing laboratories, classrooms, industry academia linkage centre, and auditorium.

Haque said that for the first time in Pakistan, smartphone manufacturing licenses were issued, under which 29 companies were now manufacturing smartphones and digital devices in Pakistan.

Former Federal Minister Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that a much bigger IT park was required in metropolis but the initiative was a welcome step and it would ensure better facilities for the sector.

He said that work at home was the future work strategy that would remain constant as it has become a practical and feasible approach around the world.

Karachi contributes 70 per cent of the national revenue and it has the potential to drive the entire country on the path of development and prosperity, he said, adding that Karachi was ready to forward the nation on the path of speedy development.

Special Assistant to Chief Minister for IT Tanzeela Umm-Habiba, Consul General of South Korea to Pakistan Kim Haksung and Chief Secretary Sindh Dr Muhammad Sohail Rajput also addressed the ceremony.

Earlier caretaker MD Pakistan Software Export Board Syed Junaid Imam delivered a welcome speech and highlighted the salient features of the IT park project.

The ceremony was also attended by lawmakers, federal and provincial IT secretary, academia, EXIM Bank Korea representatives, Pakistan Software House Association officials, prominent business personalities and professionals.

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