ISLAMABAD, September 30 : Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja has announced that 2,500 Internet of Things devices will be installed across the federal capital over the next six months under the Smart Islamabad project.
She said the initiative is aimed at expanding digital public services and automating urban management through a wider IoT network in Islamabad.
The minister was addressing a ceremony held in honour of female students from Islamabad schools who completed Huawei’s Summer ICT Training Programme. She also distributed certificates among the participants.
Shaza Fatima said modern technology had become essential across nearly every area of daily life and public service delivery. She added that the government was rapidly digitising bills, taxes and official services through a one-stop mobile application and easy service centres to reduce queues and repeated visits to government offices.
Alongside these measures, she said, a large-scale IoT network was being developed in the capital to improve service delivery and urban administration.
The minister praised the students who completed the ICT training, noting that girls from Grade 7 to second year had used their summer holidays to complete advanced technology courses.
She said the participants had earned an average of 25 to 28 certifications and successfully completed courses beyond what would normally be expected at their age.
Shaza Fatima said the country’s young population and women represented a major digital resource and stressed the need for young people to move beyond being technology users to becoming producers, developers and creators of technology.
She also highlighted the growing link between information technology, cybersecurity and national security.
According to the minister, the government is working on a comprehensive cybersecurity law and a new policy framework to strengthen protection in the digital domain.
She congratulated the students on completing the training programme and offered them internship opportunities in Ministry of IT projects during the winter holidays.