Chaudhry-Mohammad-Sarwar-bioGovernor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar said Information Technology (IT) is one of the most potential segments of economy which can help the country achieve economic revival by repaying the foreign loans, in collaboration with the local NGOs like Saylani Welfare Trust. He was addressing the pre-enrollment programme of software developers, arranged by Saylani Welfare Trust at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF), on Sunday. He said IT was one of the easiest ways to earn foreign exchange, in addition to enabling our youth to start their own businesses, instead of running after jobs. He underlined the basic philosophy of Islamic welfare state and said that the government alone could not achieve the herculean task and it would support well reputed and dedicated NGOs to join hands with it to transform the country into a true welfare state. He termed Saylani Welfare Trust a role model for other organisations and said that Karachi recorded heavy downpour and he arranged funds of Rs1 billion and visited Karachi to help the affected families. However, he was surprised to see that Saylani Welfare was already undertaking activities in a well organised and planned manner. The governor said that during corona, when a large number of daily-wage earners were rendered jobless, the government distributed Rs170 billion among affected families with sustenance allowance of Rs12,000 per family. During the same period, NGOs also remained at the forefront and provided rations to two million families. He said that the government was trying to help the poor and a programme had also been lunched like ‘Koi Bhoka Na Soey’. However, to achieve its ultimate objectives, we must collaborate our efforts, he added. About GSP+ status, he said at that time many countries were opposing Pakistan, but he visited a number of countries and convinced 200 leaders to vote for Pakistan. He said that as a result of GSP Plus status, Pakistan had so far earned benefit of $24 billion. He said that India was now trying to deprive Pakistan of this status, but we would foil its designs. About clean drinking water, he said that 80pc of our population was forced to consume unclean water. He launched a campaign to provide clean drinking water to these segments through Sarwar Foundation. It will help in trimming the health budget with the intake of clean potable water. He said that by end of this year, we would be able to provide clean drinking water to 7.6 million people. He said that earlier, the cost of filtration plant was Rs15 million. However, now we are installing these plants with only Rs3 million. Maulana Bashir Ahmad Farooq, chairman Saylani Welfare Trust, said that he had launched a major project in 2014 to provide one million software developers/IT experts, who could not only strengthen our economy but also help government repay the foreign debt. He said that 35,000 students were being enrolled in Karachi and 2,500 in Faisalabad. We must equip them with best IT related skills so that they could add $100 billion to the national economy. President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) Engineer Hafiz Ehtisham Javaid also spoke on the occasion while Vice Chancellor UAF Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan and others were also present.