January 21, 2006	Saturday	Zilhaj 20, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 20: Information Technology Minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari on Thursday called upon the government ministries and departments to use and patronize software solutions prepared by local IT companies.

“I have repeatedly been urging all the government ministries and public sector corporations to encourage the local software companies and refrain from setting artificial pre-qualification criteria of excluding the local companies,” he said on the occasion of a presentation given to him during his visit to the East Karachi district courts.

The Minister was apprised of the progress in automation and IT implementation by the district courts. The ministry of IT has been in contact with Karachi district east to examine how the concept could be scaled up to a broader implementation in various other

districts.—APP