ISLAMABAD, April 2: Minister for Information Technology Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari on Friday underlined the need for greater cooperation between Pakistan and China for the growth and promotion of telecom and IT sectors in Pakistan.

He was speaking at a meeting with the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, Zhang Chunxiang, who called on the minister at his office here on Friday.

The two countries have already partnered successfully in various fields, and this cooperation will help the two countries achieve better positions on the international map of IT and telecom sectors, the minister said.

During the meeting, Mr Leghari also invited Chinese investors and entrepreneurs to invest in the fields of information technology and telecommunication in Pakistan following the deregulation of the telecom sector.

"The government has already deregulated the whole telecom sector and the stage is set for massive investment in the sector with the entry of new operators in the fixed-line sector and the award of licences to two new operators in the mobile cellular sector," he told the diplomat.

He also gave an overview of the progress and development made in the IT and telecom sector in Pakistan.

The Chinese envoy said his country attached great importance to the IT and telecom sectors and already the sector had witnessed a tremendous growth over the last one year with the number of mobiles and fixed line phone users increasing by 228 per cent in China last year.

Zhang Chunxiang assured Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari of his country's full support and cooperation in the promotion of IT in Pakistan.

The minister thanked the Chinese diplomat for his country's support to Pakistan's IT and telecom sector and hoped the relations between the two countries would continue to grow in the relevant areas in future.