Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has unveiled its Digital Strategy during the fourth Digital Youth Summit (DYS) 2017. With the primary focus of providing youth of the province with skills and access to markets for respective skill execution, the KP Digital Strategy aims at mapping out Pakistan’s digital future and to transform Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) into an emerging technology hub, which is expected to create 75,000 new digital jobs.
DYS is aimed to providing youth with a solid footing in the knowledge based economy. Young people making up the bulk of the audience at the Digital Youth Summit listen to panel sessions on the growing opportunities in the virtual economy, learn through the experience of the best in the industry and the impact of their geographical location seems to diminish.
Also Read: For Next Generation of Digital Innovators in Pakistan, Digital Youth Summit
The three days long DYS summit is a joint initiative of KP Information Technology Board and the World Bank. The summit has also managed to get major corporate sponsor in the form of Mobilink.
K-PITB Managing Director Dr Shahbaz Khan said:
“KPK takes digital opportunities for our people very seriously and want to be a leader in technology. This strategy, through sound policies and reforms, will set a roadmap for us and we shall announce initiatives to support this over the next few days.”
He added with emphasis related CPEC infrastructure projects:
“We have already launched programs to attract investment.”
Dr Shahbaz further explained:
“The digital strategy encompasses inputs from a wide range of groups including government departments, the private sector, and organizations such as the World Bank, making it as relevant and robust as possible.”
Startup Cup for KP’s Young Entrepreneurs
DYS is offering a unique opportunity for young entrepreneurs in the region to show their skills. A Startup cup for young entrepreneurs is the highlight of the summit. Young entrepreneurs from all over the region are going to be presenting their business ideas to potential investors.
Aniqa Afzal Sandhu, Chief Digital Officer of Jazz went on in her statement saying,
“Our country is ripe with talent.”
She said she is hopeful for long term cooperation with the KP government in order to play a positive role in life of young people of KP.
Also read: Digital Youth Summit 2014 – The What, When, and How
The World Bank Country Director Patchamuthu Illangovan who was also present on the first day of the summit exclaimed his excitement.
Illangovan enthusiastically declared:
“Digital economy is the future.”
He also expressed hope for a bright future:
“Over 80 per cent of Pakistan’s population is offline. Closing this gap will create new job opportunities for the millions entering the labor force.”
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