MoITT, Sindh IT company sign DEEP MoU as Govt rolls out SkillTech Pakistan

September 23, 2025 (MLN):Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) and Sindh IT Company (SITC) have signed an agreement to implement the Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP) in Sindh.

This marked a key step toward advancing the federal government’s digital transformation agenda.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Additional Secretary of MoITT and the CEO of SITC, with Federal Minister for IT & Telecom Shaza Fatima witnessing the ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said the launch of DEEP in Sindh was “an important step towards our shared vision of a digital Pakistan,” adding that the initiative will enhance governance, improve service delivery, and unlock new opportunities for innovation and economic growth.

She also thanked the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and paid tribute to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, noting that his Digital Nation vision continues to guide efforts in building a connected, inclusive, and technology-driven Pakistan.

Under the MoU, MoITT will serve as the sponsoring agency, providing funding, policy support, and technical expertise while supervising nationwide implementation. 

The partnership establishes a framework for federal-provincial collaboration to accelerate digital governance, streamline services, and create a unified national digital ecosystem.

The initiatives include the National Digital Services Portal, Pakistan Digital ID, Digital Vaults, the Pakistan Business Portal and the National Data Exchange Layer. Sindh IT Company will lead local execution by working with provincial entities on data integration, infrastructure development and capacity building.

The partnership seeks to drive digital transformation across Sindh and prepare stakeholders to adopt modern governance tools.

Officials noted that the collaboration represents a significant milestone in advancing Pakistan’s digital economy. By aligning national and provincial efforts, DEEP is expected to deliver transparent, citizen centric digital services and long term socio economic benefits for the people of Sindh.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of IT & Telecom and the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) hosted a landmark event titled “Building Tomorrow” to reveal the launch of the Prime Minister’s SkillTech Pakistan programme a comprehensive new platform for digital skills development and capacity building.

The programme emphasizes opportunity, empowerment and a commitment to help young Pakistanis showcase talent in globally recognized technologies such as AI and blockchain.

Federal Minister for IT & Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja highlighted that the ‘Prime Minister’s SkillTech Pakistan’ platform will introduce six flagship programmes designed to equip Pakistan’s youth with globally competitive skills whilst supporting tech companies in achieving international compliances by strengthening industry linkages.

She added, “This platform reflects our commitment to building a future-ready workforce and positioning the country as a premier global tech destination.”

She also paid tribute to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, highlighting his vision of a Digital Nation Pakistan.

She remarked, “We have already trained more than 3 million Pakistanis through our DigiSkills initiative leading to a record figure in IT exports crossing $691m between July and August 2025.

This initiative is a step forward in realizing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision of putting Pakistan on the map as a key player in the global digital economy.”

Adding his perspective, PSEB CEO Abu Bakr said, “Prime Minister’s SkillTech Pakistan programme is about making our youth employable, competitive and confident in the global marketplace.

We have ambitious plans and hope to train more than 2.1m Pakistanis within the next three years. This is our roadmap to positioning Pakistan as the digital hub for this region by empowering students and enabling the industry.”

SkillTech Pakistan will span a wide range of interventions. Among its flagship domains, Skill Bridge will connect ICT graduates with employers through paid internships and apprenticeships.

The Certified to Export (C2X) initiative will help IT firms achieve international certifications such as ISO and GDPR compliance.

Meanwhile, Skilllift 1.0 bootcamps will deliver advanced training in AI, cloud computing, web development, mobile applications, and software quality assurance.

Together, the launch of DEEP in Sindh and the rollout of SkillTech Pakistan show the government’s strategy to align digital governance with workforce development, positioning Pakistan as both a regional innovation hub and a global player in the digital economy.

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