ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan will have its first ever laptop assembling plant soon which would strengthen the country’s indigenous capacity in laptop manufacturing and assembling, and also create job opportunities for skilled youth.
The decision was taken during the third meeting for the implementation of the Prime Minister Youth Laptop Scheme held here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairperson, Dr Javaid R Leghari.
The assembling plant will also help facilitate the distribution of laptops to deserving students.
50% of the required labour will be provided by the Prime Minister’s Skill Development Training Programme.
The meeting also decided to hold an international conference of potential bidders for establishing the plant, and to form a steering committee comprising all the stakeholders for effective implementation of the laptop scheme.
A Project Implementation Unit will also be established at HEC to initiate speedy implementation of the scheme without any delay.
The meeting discussed the modalities of implementing the laptop scheme recently announced by the government in the annual budget to acknowledge the outstanding performance of the bright students.
Chairman HEC, Dr Javaid Leghari said the HEC was tasked to design the implementation strategy and form eligibility criteria in a transparent manner to promote outreach of youth to information and communication technology.
Under this scheme, laptops would be given to students acquiring higher education at federal universities.
He assured the meeting that the HEC will implement the laptop scheme in a well defined, merit-based and transparent manner.
Director General Information Technology, HEC Anwar Amjad gave a presentation elaborating the design and mechanism of implementing the laptop scheme.
Those who attended the meeting included representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Ministry of Science and Technology, HEC and Punjab Information and Technology Board.

Source: Express Tribune