Pakistan's biggest IT Park to be set up in Islamabad

• 3.3 acres of plot in Sector G-10 has already been allocated.
• Around 100,000 square feet of area will be covered by Park. 
• 5,000 to 6,000 freelancers will be accommodated to work.

ISLAMABAD: With the help of public-private partnership, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to develop the country's biggest Information Technology Park (IT Park) in the federal capital, reported The News on Thursday.

The development is part of newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's efforts towards taking concrete measures to enhance IT exports in Pakistan.

A plot spread across 3.3 acres in Sector G-10 has already been allocated for the construction of the IT Park after the CDA Board greenlit the decision to realise the establishment of the unique project.

Around 100,000 square feet of area will be covered in the plot, where at least 5,000 to 6,000 freelancers will be accommodated to work simultaneously.

Set up in Islamabad, the IT Park would comprise a research centre, library, software house, conference rooms, working space for freelancers and startups as well as an area to exhibit IT products.

The construction of the IT Park will be financed by private IT companies, which will also rent their offices in the area. But the Park would be handed over to CDA.

Earlier this week, PM Shehbaz directed relevant authorities to prepare a comprehensive roadmap to increase the country's IT exports in a meeting with the IT and Telecom sector in the federal capital.

He emphasised on taking steps to utilise the full potential of IT exports worth billions of dollars, adding the youth would be provided with education and skills in the IT sector and facilities required for start-ups.

He noted that the projects started for the IT industry in the previous government were yielding positive results pointing out that all banking-related problems of startups, freelancers and IT companies were resolved.

The premier maintained that the expected volume of IT exports this year is more than three billion dollars and emphasised the need to further increase it. PM Shehbaz also directed that all necessary legal and policy measures should be taken to increase investment in the IT sector and enhance its exports.