In the next 10 years, Pakistan is aiming big as it announces its plans for a digital revolution. Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said on Saturday that the PTI-led government aims to turn Pakistan into a technological superpower within the next 10 years.
This comes in light of the “Made in Pakistan” initiative by the current government. So far, the successfully produced products under this scheme include local gloves and face mask production, which were previously either sold illegally or were imported to meet the country’s demand. In the pandemic, though, whilst imports were few and far between, the country drastically increased the production of these necessities, meeting not only our own demand but export demands globally, as well.
Another technical product that Pakistan has started manufacturing under this scheme is ventilators. The acute shortage of ventilators hit the country hard, as coronavirus cases shot up a few months ago, and until recently. However, local production as well as some relief packages from countries like China have helped Pakistan in being able to successfully provide the ailing patients with ventilators.
The initiative seems to be on the right path and one can only wait to see what the next product being produced under the scheme shall be. Fawad Chaudhry also lauded Pakistan in having a lenient tax structure and a convenient location to attract millions of potential buyers. An attempt to catch the eyes of manufacturing big wigs in the international production industry. As the world slowly opens up and recovers from the pandemic, we can be hopeful that Pakistan attracts more FDI aiding its balance of payments deficits and its economy.
Plans also exist to turn Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad into special economic zones. In the next phase, a 200-acre health city will be built in Faisalabad, he added. In these economic zones, the technology industry and businesses will be granted special aforementioned privileges.
Mishaal Mariam Moeen, an author and mixed media artist, expresses her creativity through written words and visual art forms.
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