Pakistan, Russia mull cooperation in IT, telecom
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan and Russia have agreed to enhance cooperation and start joint ventures in the field of information technology and telecommunication.
The two sides also announced to exchange visits of trade and investment delegations and set up focal groups to further explore possibilities for collaboration in the areas of information technology, business process outsourcing, telecommunication, and space technology.
The agreement was reached Wednesday during a high level meeting between Minister for Information Technology Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari and a six-member Russian trade delegation led by Ms Elena Danilova, director Russian Ministry for Economic Development & Trade, currently visiting Pakistan to explore business opportunities. IT secretary Farrakh Qayyum, member Nooruddin Baqai and other officials were also present.
Awais Leghari said Pakistan considered Russia a country with huge potential to participate in the growth of IT and telecom sector in Pakistan. He said the two countries could also forge stronger business ties in the field of space science which Pakistan was seeking to develop with the help of reliable technology and expertise such as that possessed by Russia.
"We do not want to become mere purchasers, but strategic partners and transfer of technology and skills should form the core of any business relationship," he added.
He said Pakistan and Russia could also reap economic benefits through interaction close partnerships in the business process outsourcing which was gaining a strong foothold in Pakistan due to cheap workforce and excellent English language skills.
The minister said his country had embarked upon a massive e-government programme and the provision of IT-enabled services had become a key area of focus for partnerships with the local and international IT players. He said his ministry could also offer funds for training in specific IT skill-sets required by foreign companies to launch start-up businesses in Pakistan.
Ms Elena Danilova said her country viewed Pakistan as an emerging economic centre and the growth of telecom and IT sector in Pakistan had impelled many Russian companies to look at possibilities of coming to Pakistan in a big way. She said her country was ready to facilitate exchange of traders and investors to discuss and earmark areas in which the countries could forge joint ventures.
Meanwhile, Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari also met with Greg Oliveau, head of Aeromobile Asia Pacific region, who briefed the minister on his company's plans to launch 'GSM on Board' initiative in collaboration with Telenor Pakistan to provide for a safe and cost-effective way to allow air passengers to use mobile phones without an interruption.
Telenor Pakistan's CEO Tore Johnsen, told the minister his company was one of the two partners in the UK-based joint venture Aeromobile, and discussions with the management of Aeromobile were already under way to make Pakistan one of the first countries to have the GSM-on-board technology.
The minister assured complete government support to the visiting Aeromobile official in bringing this technology to Pakistan as a pioneering initiative in the world.