ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday directed the project team of Islamabad Technology Park and the information technology ministry to complete the project within the current year instead of the set deadline of June 2025.

The prime minister, during his visit to the under-construction site of the country’s largest technology park, said the project was launched in 2022 during the PDM coalition government and the contract was awarded to a South Korean company.

He said the project was being completed at a cost of Rs25 billion out of which $70 million (soft loan) was being provided by the South Korean government.

“Soon after taking charge of my office, I issued directions to continue work on the project round the clock,” he said, adding as the chief minister Punjab he had introduced the system of 24 hours work on development projects.

Expressing satisfaction over the progress of work on the project, he asked the project management to try their best to complete the project by September or October this year.

He said after completion of the project, some 120 offices of different companies would be established in the park.

Similarly, he said, an incubation centre with 15 offices and startups would also be part of the technology park with a business support centre where legal marketing and financial support facilities would be provided.

Around 10,000 productive jobs would be created in the IT park for skilled and knowledgeable workforce.

The prime minister said that as a result of the construction of the IT park, the country’s exports would be increased by around $70 million per year.

He said a level three data centre - one of the highest and fist ever in Pakistan, would be established in the IT park.

He said the technology park would create synergy between domestic and foreign academia, researchers, industry and planners.

He vowed to replicate such projects in other parts of the country with cooperation of the provincial governments.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2024