Russian cooperation in IT to open new avenues in Pakistan: PITB chief

APP - Russian desire to cooperate in Information Technology (IT) sector of Pakistan will not only open up new avenues of bilateral relations in the field of technological interventions but also strengthen and promote interaction between the experts of two countries.

Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Chairman Dr. Umar Saif expressed these views while talking with Russian IT delegation here Wednesday.

Dr. Saif said, "Russian IT solutions for our public and private sectors will be beneficial regarding terms of expertise and technology transfer, which is needed to be result-oriented. In order to start activity, education, health and revenue areas should be targeted by working on a Danish School, a university, a hospitals and some online tax payment solutions for Punjab Revenue Authority."

Earlier, the delegates made a detailed presentation on the integrated IT-based solutions in the education sector, being implemented over 100 schools in Russia. The presentation included new gadgets for vocational skills programming with logical thinking problem solutions.

The two-day visit is under way in the backdrop of the 5th Pak-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) on trade, economic and scientific-technical cooperation meeting, held in Moscow in November last year.

In the conference, Russian side shared its willingness to collaborate with Pakistan in multiple areas including prospective projects in the field of Information & Communication Technologies (ICTs). The areas agreed include e-government solutions, public sector automation, healthcare, citizen centric multifunctional service centers, financial and payment system, according to PITB spokesman.

He mentioned that Russian IT organization for future correspondence in the field of ICTs is a state-owned Limited Liability Company Rus IT Export (LLC RITE). Recently on the invitation of CEO LLC RITE a delegation of Punjab IT Board visited Moscow, which opened up new avenues of bilateral relations between the two countries in terms of Information & Telecommunication Technologies. The delegation from Punjab IT Board showcased PITB's projects for transforming Punjab into a hub of information technology, he added.

The 10-member Russian delegation included senior management of Russian Information Technology Export (RITE), IDVP, Codewords and YARUS while DG e-Governance PITB along with respective officials, Chief IT Punjab Planning & Development, MD Punjab Curriculum & Text Book Board and Directors of School monitoring and curriculum were also present.