ITCN Asia hosts second CIO Summit 200

KARACHI: ITCN Asia hosted the second CIO Summit 200 in Karachi, which aims to appreciate the talent of IT professionals in different sectors. As many as 60 professionals were given awards, and seven of the best will be nominated for the World CIO Summit 200 to be held in South Africa.

Speaking as the chief guest, Former State Minister and Chairman Board of Investment Azfar Ahsan said businessmen, policymakers, and stakeholders in Pakistan should agree on a charter of business, which must ensure the continuation of long-term policies and a conducive environment for promoting local and foreign investment in different sectors.

A roadmap for economic growth should be formulated for 25 years, followed in true letter and spirit regardless of the country’s political situation.He pointed out that the country has immense potential due to its strategic location and market size to attract foreign investment from different countries. However, the lack of uniform policies is a hurdle to growth in the country. He added that foreign countries were willing to work with Pakistani businessmen, but they had to facilitate their access to investment opportunities in multiple sectors. Chairman of P@SHA Zohaib Khan said that Pakistan’s export of IT and IT-enabled services recorded a consistent increase, but the continuation of policies will further grow its value significantly. He mentioned that Pakistan’s IT companies had delivered marvellous jobs in different countries on mega projects, including developing the UAE’s central payment system and software solutions for renowned foreign companies.

“We must build a made-in-Pakistan brand in the IT sector and expand its outreach in different countries in collaboration with the government and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC),” he said.

President of Global CISO Forum Pakistan Erdal Ozkaya said that the country has immense potential to transform itself into the region’s tech hub because of the talent of its IT professionals. Technology was essential in everyday business and was a game-changer with a mandate to change history, he added.

Project Director ITCN Asia Umair Nizam said the tech event was expected to generate over $500 million in investments and business, significantly contributing to the economy. “Pakistan is becoming a regional hub of technology,” he said, adding that “we can overcome our challenges to serve the country with hard work and smart work,” he said.

Leading global and local brands such as Google, TikTok, Microsoft, Odoo, Huawei, PTCL, and Easypaisa, including 750 companies, participated in the event.The event hosted over 300 speakers and 70,000 visitors from the tech sector, including 350 foreign delegates from 17 countries, including Saudi Arabia, China, Singapore, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iran, Egypt, and the UAE.