February 8, 2002	Friday	Ziqa’ad 24, 1422

KARACHI, Feb 7: Sindh Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said on Thursday that Karachi being located at a pivotal geographical point could best be used as a gateway and hub for all sort of business activities, including e-commerce and information technology.

Speaking as a chief guest at the launching ceremony of Smart Commerce Professional Development Programme, jointly organized by Islamic Chamber of Commerce & Industry and E-commerce Gateway Singapore Consortium, the minister said that there was a greater need for such collaborations for the promotion of e-commerce.

He said that importance of this event could well be judged from the fact that a large number of companies and intellectual skills have joined hands for organizing the launching ceremony.

In the era of networking, he said, no individual could have a solo flight and such tasks are better taken through partnerships and cooperation by group of individuals or companies.

Dr. Hafeez further said that the launching of Smart Commerce was taking place at such a time when Muslims around the world feel to reach out for each other to acquire knowledge and human resource development.

“There should be a commitment from our professionals and intellectuals towards human resource development and imparting of IT education to the masses of Pakistan,” the minister added.

Secretary general of Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Aqeel A Al-Jassem speaking on the occasion said the ICCI and E-commerce Gateway Pakistan had signed an agreement in December last to collaborate in launching the Smart Commerce training programme to provide training to businesspersons and entrepreneurs.

Under this programme, he said, special emphasis would be given to the trainees to address issues, in small and medium enterprises that would lead in reduction of cost and increase of efficiency through better integration of functions by the use of information technology and business process engineering. The ICCI chief said the rapid changes in the global business environment brought by factors such as removal of trade boundaries, rapid technology advancements and uncertain economic situations bring new challenges for everyone.

In order to overcome these challenges, he said, the ICCI had restructured its priorities for attracting foreign investment in member countries as well as technical and professional support programmes.

He said the ICCI was going to celebrate silver anniversary of its establishment in September this year in Istanbul, Turkey, where first conference of the chamber was held in 1977.

Aqeel Al-Jassem said the ICCI appreciated the initiative of E-commerce Gateway Consortium in launching the Smart Commerce Professional Development Programme. Their determination ensures that this programme will be a turning point in the development of professionals throughout the Islamic world.

Considering the need of such programmes, he said, the Islamic Chamber is collaborating with E-commerce Gateway Consortium, Singapore and Commerce-Net, Singapore, to initiate professional development programmes that would increase competitiveness in various fields of business.

Chief executive officer of E-commerce Gateway, Singapore Consortium, Jeh Shyan Wong on the occasion said that international community felt that Karachi could become the business hub because of its important geographical location.