July 29, 2003	Tuesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 28, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, July 28: The chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Dr Pervez Butt, on Monday said the country’s overall software exports had reached an exalted figure of $40 million.

Speaking at a concluding session of “14th All Pakistan Software Competition and Exhibition” organized by Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), he said the IT sector was reported to be growing at an astonishing rate of 62% during 1999-2000.

However, he said, a large number of government offices were still deprived of better and effective computerized setups as they used computer as a modern form of a calculator or a typewriter.

The very fact that in countries like Singapore and India, software exports now form a formidable portion of the respective countries’ overall exports and that the global business in this market exceeds the mark of $10 billion per year clearly reflecting the importance of this vital sector.

However, this sector was badly hampered by the 9/11 incident as it declined in international orders and hence subsequently the closure of many software houses.

“Anyhow, signs of betterment have started appearing, this also calls for a thorough brainstorming over the issue that how to control the damage brought by any upheavals in the international market and how can we end the vulnerability of our infant software industry,” he added.

Mr Butt said the KRL has been effectively promoting IT by holding this exhibition regularly.

The KRL chairman, Dr Javed Ashraf Mirza, said a country that inherited a tiny telecom base of just 7,000 telephone lines at the time of its independence in 1947, has been successful in developing a modern and rapidly expanding communication network with most impressive facilities like International High Speed Circuits, Domestic Fiber Optic backbone, mobile communications, E-mail, Auto text and Voice mail.

He said the KRL was fully aware of this crucial issue and engaged in fulfilling its duties in promoting IT.

On the academic front, Dr A Q Khan Institute of Computer Sciences, Kahuta was engaged in imparting quality education and various workshops on software development and IT-related issues were regularly organized to focus on the emerging trends in the field.

The main idea behind organizing the competition was to create awareness and importance of Personal Computer (PC) and its growing role in the country.

The event provided a platform to software developers, to encourage local software development and to inculcate the awareness in the general public regarding PC and its applications.

Lt-Gen Syed Shujaat Hussain (retired), The Rector of National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), was the chief guest at the opening ceremony.

Each year, a large number of entries are received for the competition, out of which only about 50% are considered fit for the competition, the spokesman said.

For this year’s competition, 138 software were received including 27 in professional and commercial category and 102 in the immature group.

After evaluation, about 84 software were included in the competition. A handsome amount of Rs0.25 was offered as prize money in various categories.

The overall first prize of Rs30,000 was given to FAST National University, Lahore.