ISLAMABAD: The Gokina smart village project made its mark at the global forum, and the authorities pledged to replicate the model in other parts of Pakistan and around the world.

Gokina is in the mountainous region of Islamabad, but the area has no essential services, including proper education and health. The Gokina project introduced online learning at a girls school where no science teacher wanted to serve; similarly, an e-clinic has been established in the village as there was no doctor even in the surrounding areas.

Hassan Nasir Jamy, Federal Secretary for the Ministry of IT Telecommunication, here on Tuesday said that the success of the Gokina project was a milestone in the journey towards a digital Pakistan.

He was speaking at an event, “Thriving Together with Tech: Realising Sustainable Development,” organised by Huawei in China.

The event was attended by experts in several countries online and showcased the social and economic uplifts with the help of digitization.

Like the Gokina Smart Village initiative, other remarkable projects included a floating solar power house in Ghana that helped enhance productivity at the local coffee processing plant and allowed the farmers to opt for value addition instead of selling their produce as raw material.

Similarly, digitization helped organic agro-farming in Italy and the digitization of historic tourist town in China.

Ethan Sun, CEO Huawei Technologies Pakistan, stated that the Gokina Smart Village Project is not just about connectivity; it’s about transforming lives. It aims to overcome challenges such as limited access to essential services.

The speakers highlighted that the world is increasingly reliant on digital connectivity and said Huawei continues to spearhead efforts to bridge the digital divide through its commitment to the ITU’s (International Telecommunication Union) Partner2Connect Digital Coalition. Huawei joined forces with the coalition in 2022 and pledged to bring connectivity to over 120 million people in remote areas across 80 countries by 2025.

It was stressed that there was a significant focus on the symbiotic relationship between technology, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.

Deputy CEO and Director Subsidiary Board Huawei Pakistan Ahmed Bilal Masud highlighted the progress and achievements of Gokina, which will be spread in Pakistan with a focus on three areas: education, health, and digital skills.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2023