President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday said Pakistan should join the light-pace journey of digital development for its speedy progress as Information Technology (IT) was the optimum growing sector in the world. He was addressing the signing ceremony of a contract between Universal Service Fund (USF) and Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) for installation of Optic Fiber Cable (OFC) in Naushero Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad and Khairpur, jointly hosted by MoIT and USF at a hotel here. He said that IT Infrastructure development was also important because the world was ready and people were fully prepared to move on the digital highways to attain goals of progress. President Dr Arif Alvi said that seamless Internet connectivity was imperative for growth of the information technology (IT) sector which had the potential to materialize the dream of exponential development in the current era. The USF has awarded a contract for installation of OFC to the PTCL for providing smooth and uninterrupted Internet connectivity in Naushero Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad and Khairpur Districts. Dr Arif Alvi said people across the globe did convey their thinking and approach to the world through digital highways. The digital economy was growing very quickly and digital avenues of development were also being opened in Pakistan, he added. He said that Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoIT) Syed Aminul Haq had been entrusted with responsibility for the development of the IT sector since people had formal exchange of views and ideas on digital highways. He said that the COVID-19 situation has made the world realize the fact that a lot of knowledge was available on the Internet and added the younger generation was receiving quick knowledge through digital highways. President Dr Arif Alvi said the IT exports of the country would eventually increase if the IT sector promptly achieved new milestones. He said that “Pakistan is second to none in the intellectual battle and we just need to teach the latest skills to our youths at par with the modern era to make them our strength.” President Dr Arif Alvi also stressed the need to further improve IT education at all levels in the country. Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoIT) Syed Aminul Haq said Internet connectivity was the first pillar of the Digital Pakistan initiative. He said that the huge amount of Rs 31 billion was being spent for providing broadband Internet facility to the far-flung and under-developed areas of the country. He pointed out over 80 percent of work had already been completed on OFC installation and infrastructure development in Dadu and Jamshoro. Syed Aminul Haq informed the gathering that work was underway for establishing IT Park in Karachi near the Karachi Airport. He said “We want to launch a 5G Internet facility in Pakistan by December 2022.” Earlier, President Dr Arif Alvi along with Syed Aminul Haq witnessed the signing of contract by Chief Executive Officer of USF, Haris Mehmood Chaudhry and Group Chief Finance Officer PTCL Mohammad Nadeem Khan.