ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has emphasised the need to provide support and conducive environment to startups through trainings, investor linkages and mentorship programmes for the country’s socioeconomic development.

He said that right policies had been put in place to enable young entrepreneurs to play their part in Pakistan’s prosperity, adding that the government was providing business loans to the youth on easy terms and conditions under the Kamyab Jawan Programme.

The president made these remarks during a briefing on the National Incubation Centre (NIC) Islamabad.

Information Technology and Telecom secretary Muhammad Sohail Rajput, Ignite chief executive officer Asim Shahryar, Jazz chief digital officer Amir Ejaz, NIC Islamabad project director Pervaiz Abbasi, representatives of the National Information Technology Board (NITB) and other senior officials attended the meeting.

President Alvi said that Pakistan needed to take advantage of its huge youth bulge by equipping them with modern IT-based skills and creating a business-friendly environment in the country.

He highlighted the importance of training the youth in the field of IT, particularly in the areas such as cyber-security and cyber-defence.

He also underlined the need of making smart and data-driven decisions to make progress in all the fields of life and to fulfill the requirements of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Earlier, the president was briefed about various initiatives and performance of NIC. He was informed that NIC was providing a platform and required support to talented entrepreneurs for transforming their innovative ideas into a sustainable business.

The meeting was also apprised that during the last four years, the NIC Islamabad had incubated 230 startups, which had generated almost Rs2 billion in revenues, besides creating more than 11,000 jobs.

The president appreciated the efforts of the NIC in promoting entrepreneurship in the country, especially the opportunities being provided to women and differently-abled in the NIC startups.