Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Aminul Haque on Wednesday urged youth especially the students to enhance their Information Technology skills so as to cope with the fast-changing trends in the globe. He was addressing to the inauguration ceremony of a Digital IT Laboratory at Ebrahim Ali Bhai Government Girls and Boys School at Orangi Town no 9 here. The Minister said that a modern Digital IT Lab equipped with the latest desktop computers, printers and fast internet connection is established at Ebrahim Ali Bhai Government Girls and Boys School, to facilitate the students learn IT skills. He added that training in 15 different modern IT fields will be imparted to the students in the facility free of cost, enabling them to learn IT skills including data analysis, freelancing, E-Commerce, Graphic Designing, Video Animation, Content Writing, online marketing, and advance data analysis, Artificial Intelligence and other modern skills and practices in the IT fields. He said that the students of 9th and 10th classes as well as those who successfully passed out from the school should also learn and get training in the IT Lab. He said that our youth has great potential and talent, it just needs to be nurtured, expressing hope that by the time of matriculation, the students will become the best IT professionals and every student who completes the training will appear as bread earners for his family. This skilled young generation will also provide stronger support to Pakistan’s economy, the Federal IT Minister added. He said that measures to provide such training facilities at the level of schools and colleges is a step aimed to boost IT exports up to US $ 15 billion. Syed Aminul Haque further said that his ministry has taken revolutionary steps for the further promotion of information and communication technology across the country. He maintained that steps were underway to take IT exports to a record level through the provision of maximum incentives and facilities and the freelancing policy. He said that the Ministry has established IT laboratories in the schools and now it is the responsibility of the students to take the maximum possible advantage of these. The Federal IT Minister said that the successful students will also be issued certificates of the courses from the IT Lab. These types of labs will help students, especially girls, to learn modern IT skills at ease and earn by working even from their homes.He said the Principal of the Ebrahim Ali Bhai School had been informed that the school management was now responsible for the sustainability and maintenance of this facility at least for the next five years. On the occasion, Syed Aminul Haque also inspected the lab and also exchanged views with the students regarding Digital Pakistan Vision. He also paid a glowing tribute to the students and teachers of Ebrahim Ali Bhai School for participating in national-level competitions and securing prominent positions in the examinations. Syed Aminul Haque said the Ministry had formulated the cellular phones manufacturing policy and now around 28 to 29 mobile manufacturing companies including prominent international brands are working in the country with this result we are getting smartphones at affordable prices. He recalled that around one-and-a-half-year ago the campus of a virtual university was also established in the Orangi town. Besides graduate and post-graduate degrees in various disciplines, the varsity is also offering 3-month and 6-month diploma courses, he added. Speaking about development works in Orangi, the Federal Minister said that we are going to inaugurate a medical complex soon in UC-19 Orangi. Besides, healthcare facilities, ambulance and coffin carrier bus services will also be available in the medical complex, he added. He said that many projects of infrastructure development like roads, street lights, sewerage systems and other works were successfully executed in Orangi town during the last 5 years. In his address, Member of Sindh Assembly, Ali Khursheedi said that the example set by Syed Aminul Haq for serving people without discrimination under the guidance of MQM leadership is praiseworthy. As the Federal IT Minister, Syed Aminul Haq successfully launched information and communication technology projects worth billions of rupees across the country, the MPA added. Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of Ignite National Technology Fund Asim Sheheryar Hussain informed the gathering about the performance and various ongoing, successful and future projects of the company. He said that on the instructions of the Federal Minister, a Digital IT lab was established a few days ago in the Rashid Minhas Government Boys & Girls School Nazimabad here and now this is second in Orangi Town. We strongly believe that this digital lab will help the students to brighten their future, he added. Among other notables, MPA, Ali Khursheedi, Chief Executive Pakistan Software Export Board Ali Raza, Principal of the Ebrahim Ali Bhai Government Girls and Boys School Naushad Begum, District Education Officer and teachers and students in large number were also present.