KARACHI, Feb 15: The Sindh Information Technology Board (SITB) will host the Asia Pacific Conference for Trade Facilitation and E-business - AFACT in October 2003.

“We have made all necessary arrangements and correspondence with the concerned organizations and people to participate in AFACT 2003, which would continue for six days,” Syed Asim Zafar, director SITB, told PPI on Saturday.

He said most probably Karachi would be the venue for the mega event which is expected to attract some 300 delegates, particularly from Asian countries and generally around the world.

He claimed that the event would have very positive impact on the country’s as well as Sindh‘s economic activities.

The 10th AFACT was held recently in Malaysia where thousands of IT professionals and business tycoons attended the event.

The SITB constituted in 1999 has geared up activities in the province and initiated various projects including E-government, the Indus Technology Park at the SITE area and the computer education programme in the interior of Sindh.

The Sindh government decided to set up the first-ever Technology City in Karachi, introducing a new innovative idea in the country, which would offer all facilities to IT companies including residence for their workers.

“We have decided to set up the Indus Technology Park in Karachi and land for the project has already been allocated,” said M Zafar.

He said the Sindh government had allocated 50 acres for the project located at the Sindh Industrial and Trade Estate (SITE) area.

The estimated cost of the project is around Rs60 to 100 million.—PPI