QUETTA: Federal Minister for Information Technology Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has said that MQM will support Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani against whom a no-trust motion has been moved by opposition parties.

“We will extend unconditional support to Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and will vote against the opposition’s no-confidence motion,” Dr Siddiqui said while talking to newsmen after visiting the National Incubation Centre of the Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences, here on Monday.

He said the country was passing through a crucial phase and the country badly needed political stability to bring the country out of the crisis.

He said the opposition parties had the democratic right to move the no-trust motion against the Senate chairman, but added that sit-ins or protests could not resolve any issue.

The minister said that his party would continue struggle for strengthening democracy in the country as the country could only progress under a democratic system.

In reply to a question, the minister said that in the past the party faced a difficult time, but now “we are reorganising the party”.

Earlier, the minister visited National Incubation Centre (NIC) at BUITEMS, which is among one of the five incubators conceived, funded and set up by Ignite under the auspices of Ministry of IT and Telecom. The NIC is being managed by LUMS in collaboration with BUITEMS.

Dr Siddique met representatives of startups incubated at the centre. Speaking on the occasion, he said the time was changing fast and the people of the country must transform themselves according to the needs of the time.

He said that China was the main example for Pakistan to emulate as Chinese leaders were able to end poverty using the latest technology, adding that future belonged to technology and the private sector would have to come forward and create ample job opportunities as governments across the world would no more be able to provide jobs on a large scale to the masses.

Dr Siddiqui said that five National Incubators Centers had been set up in different cities of country.

He said that Balochistan’s resources could be used to create unlimited job opportunities not only for the people of Balochistan but also for the entire country.

The VC of Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences Ahmed Farooq Bazai briefed the minister about different development projects of the university.

Pro-Vice Chancellor of BUITEMS Faisal Kahn Kakart, Honorary Consul General of Japan Syed Nadeem Shah, Member of Investment Board Syed Ferooz Shah, head of the NIC of Quetta Jawad Azfar, Director of NIC, Lahore, Faisal Sherjan and Head of Ignite Nadeem Nasir were present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2019