Digital Punjab drive on the cards

LAHORE

Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Chairman Dr Umar Saif has said that Digital Punjab Campaign will be launched in collaboration with the Pakistan Software Houses Association.

He said this while presiding over the second Roundtable Conference on IT at Arfa Software Technology Park. The conference was organised by the TechHub Connect, a project of the Punjab Information Technology Board .

In addition to veterans of IT industry and academia, representatives from Punjab Revenue Authority, the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Commerce and Trade of Pakistan were also present.

Dr Umar Saifsaid said, “Punjab has made the Internet broadband services 20 percent cheaper in Pakistan by withdrawing the Internet tax while facilitated the IT industry by zero tax on IT exports. Government of the Punjab has taken consummate steps to support IT industry in Pakistan."

"The eight percent tax on IT industry revenue is likely to be reduced to two percent by the government on our suggestion", he said, adding, "Federal Ministry for Commerce has committed to promoting IT industry abroad through the extensive network of commerce consular officials.

PITB will facilitate the provision of visas and support to increase tax holiday for IT related exports for next three years.” 

He hoped that Pakistan’s IT related exports would increase from 3 billion dollars to 10 billion dollars in the next five years.

The PITB chairman said, “As part of Digital Punjab Campaign, Punjab Information Technology Board is formulating a comprehensive information and communication technology policy for Punjab that would address the issues related to taxation, access to global markets, attracting investments in the IT sector and human resource management.

Pakistan Software Houses Association President Jahan Ara appreciated PITB and Punjab government’s leadership for their continuing support to IT industry. 

The initiative received unanimous approval from the participants and was heralded as a major step towards establishing Punjab as a major IT hub for the global investors.

IT parks: Amena Cheema, CEO, Punjab Board of Investment and Trade (PBIT), has envisioned the establishment of IT parks as special economic zones to attract the influx of local and foreign IT companies looking to invest in Punjab.

She stated that the PBIT was striving to develop special economic zones in the province where special incentives would be provided to IT enterprises.

She said that it would help maximise export potential of software industry.

The PBIT CEO expressed these views during the second IT Roundtable Conference organised by Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB).

Key stakeholders as well as government officials were also present to discuss issues and developments with regard to IT industry.

The PBIT CEO said, "The special economic zones in Pakistan offer twofold financial incentives for enterprises i.e. one-time exemption from all customs duties and taxes on plant and machinery imported to Pakistan and exemption from all taxes on income in relation to the development and operation of the zones for a period of 10 years, if production is started by June 30, 2020.”

To meet the growth targets set by the chief minister, PBIT is providing guidance and support to IT enterprises/groups looking to develop IT parks as special economic zones” she added.