‘Pakistan produces 0.2mln computers annually’

KARACHI: Information technology sector is fast growing and almost all industries are dependent on this sector, but in Pakistan, only 0.2 million desktop computers are being locally produced.

Launching the “Viper Pluto All in One PC” at the inauguration of two-day ICT Gala, being organised by Pakistan Computers Association in collaboration with Viper Technology, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Mufasir Malik on Friday said that every year the country imported 0.8 million desktop computers to meet the demand.

“Now almost all the daily household activities and business management is merging with information technology. Therefore it has become increasingly important for Pakistan to promote this sector,” Malik added.

He called for giving IT sector the status of industry and incentives for local production of IT-related hardware so that dependence on the imports should be minimised.

“It is a matter of concern that with virtually no domestic production, the country completely relies on the imports,” he said, adding: “Local companies died out because they could not compete with the ridiculously low prices at which imported e-waste are available in the market.”

“I would like to mention that the Federal Board of Revenue granted the exemption in the budget 2016/17 to promote genuine imports and render informal and illegal imports as non-competitive; however, the parts assembled inside the computers remained subject to 17 percent sales tax.

Tax on the import of computer parts, including hard drive CPU and some other parts led to 20 percent rise in the prices of the locally assembled systems.

Due to 17 percent tax exemption and three percent concession in the value-added tax, imported computers and laptops have become 20 percent cheaper,” he said.

Khusnood Aftab, CEO of Viper Technology, said that only 15 percent of the youth population is using IT, which needs to be increased.

“Pluto All in One PC has been launched to meet the present day demands as it also works in the absence of external power supply in case of load shedding,” he added.

Aftab said that Pluto All in One PC has multi-features like built-in UPS, 21.5 inches FHD display, built-in speakers and webcam and all in an attractively thin design PC. This is very smart PC among other competitor brands, he added.