20 January 2004	Tuesday	27 Ziqa'ad 1424

ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: National Commission for Human Development (NCHD), with Rs15 million financial assistance of Microsoft International, will set up 16 community technology and capacity-building centres at as many under-developed districts all across the country.

In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by NCHD chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf and vice-president Microsoft for Europe, Middle East and African region Emre Berkin on Monday.

Speaking at a joint press conference, both Dr Ashraf and Mr Berkin said they would jointly establish community technology and learning centres across Pakistan, predominantly aimed at training women in IT sector.

Extending the company's unlimited potential programme, Microsoft identified a strong and dynamic entity in NCHD, therefore, committed a grant of Rs15 million to support NCHD project which will commence immediately, they said.

The project aims at establishing 16 community training and learning centres across the country over a period of 12 months, ensuring full sustainability measures and standardized quality of training.

A strong partnership between Microsoft and NCHD will be essential to ensure a balance of local knowledge, partnership in both industries and communities and continued delivery of training to the attendees.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Nasim Ashraf said: "We at the commission are absolutely delighted to be partnering with Microsoft to realize our goal of starting a movement of social transformation."

He said under this project women of the most under-developed districts would be provided access to IT training centres and offered skill-development opportunities.

However, he regretted that owing to the unfriendly investment atmosphere, the country was being deprived of many companies that were willing to invest in social sector.

"We have to smoothen up atmosphere around us, so that international companies like Microsoft should freely come to the country for ventures like this," he said.

Emre Berkin said with the signing of MoU between Microsoft and NCHD, a new chapter had been opened for the social welfare of under-privileged people of Pakistan.

It will also help bridge up the digital divide between the privileged and under-privileged, especially women and youth in Pakistan, Mr Berkin said. At present, 90 per cent of the world's population is without any access to IT which through private-public partnership can be eliminated, he said.