President Dr Arif Alvi has said the digitalised economy and digital education are leading Pakistan to success as there is immense potential in the two fields stressing the need for fast data communication modes to explore vast opportunities in such areas.

Addressing the contract signing ceremony of High-speed Mobile Broadband Internet at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Wednesday, he said Pakistan has high prospects in making strides in digital economy, digital education and digital finance and is heading in right direction to cope with the challenges during current pandemic.

President Alvi said the future highway to success was all about information gathering based upon internet and making it accessible for people. He added that the new life pattern during the coronavirus pandemic raised the demand for digitalised systems in trade, commerce, education and health.

He lauded the Ministry of Education for adopting new modes of teaching through television to address the challenges faced by students residing in towns with either low-speed internet or with no access.

The president said Pakistan was proud to launch its first public-sector Virtual University in 2004, offering education at relatively low rates as compared to physically attending institutions that had several other overheads. he said e-commerce and e-trade could prove a stimulus towards expansion of economy due to fast financial transactions.

He said the State Bank of Pakistan was working to launch digital payment system across the country in October that would boost business activities.

Software being top of the value-addition chain could prove as effective marketing tool for products and mentioned the country as 30 percent improvement in software development scenario.

President Alvi said access to information through digitalisation would also provide a platform for women to help them thrive, thus ensuring their empowerment.

He also cited a book titled Capital and Ideology by French economist Thomas Piketty who defined education and health as two top areas of such notorious culture.

He said Pakistan through reforms was resisting the elite capture, however India on the contrary, was reported with high inequality during 2014 to 2018, as mentioned by the French economist with full supporting data.

The president laid stress on proper right-of-way policies for the broadband and mobile companies to effectively sort out matters related to installation of signal towers at peoples land. He said internet could be best used for improving skilled economy and mentioned that as Pakistan required one million nurses in health sector, online training courses could be a great option instead of brick and mortar education.