MUZAFFARABAD: The Special Communications Organisation (SCO), a subsidiary of the Pakistan Army providing telecom services in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), has opened software technology parks (STPs) in Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot, as well as a freelancing hub in Forward Kahuta, to transform the territory’s information technology (IT) landscape.

According to a press release issued on Sunday, the inaugurations were performed by the organisation’s director general (DG), Maj Gen Umar Ahmad Shah, at three separate ceremonies, which were told that the introduction of these cutting-edge technologies was expected to foster niche skills and promote a business-friendly environment in the IT sector.

The newly-established freelancing hub in Forward Kahuta, the district headquarters of Haveli, joins six similar centres in Kel, Kamhora Ghambir along the Line of Control (LoC) and in Hattian Bala, Goharabad, Khairowal and Koniyon in rear areas.

These hubs aim to harness the IT potential of youth and are connected with major district-level IT hubs for mutual sharing of expertise, skill development and mentoring.

Speaking at Sunday’s ceremony in Forward Kahuta, Maj Gen Shah underlined the SCO’s commitment to empowering local youth through the launch of the seventh freelancing hub.

He maintained that developing a network of IT setups across the region was a cornerstone of SCO’s broader strategy to transform AJK’s IT landscape. By nurturing local talent and providing them with the necessary IT tools, SCO is playing a pivotal role in Azad Kashmir’s economic and social development, he said.

“These setups provide state-of-the-art IT facilities in a conducive environment, with the objective of unlocking youth potential and promoting a digitally inclusive society. I anticipate that these facilities will contribute to fostering IT skills and boosting the local economy,” Maj Gen Shah observed.

Earlier, during a briefing, SCO’s Sector Commander for Azad Kashmir Col Abdul Rasheed Khattak said that the STPs in Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot were established in collaboration with the private sector’s Read Foundation and the state-run University of Poonch, respectively.

While inspecting the facilities provided in the STPs, the DG announced that, as per the directives of the chief of army staff, the scope of such STPs would be extended to district and tehsil headquarters and other important towns across Azad Kashmir.

“This expansion aims to provide more people with opportunities to earn a respectable livelihood through modern technology,” he said.

The STPs will also be set up in universities, colleges, and schools, allowing students to benefit from the facilities during office hours and IT professionals and freelancers in the afternoon, he added.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2024