The first Coworking Network, under E-earn scheme of the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB), has become operational, and the facility will be provided in 11 major districts of Punjab including Faisalabad in the first phase under Public Private Partnership (PPP). Addressing an awareness session about the scheme at Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), Mirza Sher Afghan Baber, Manager Strategic Partnership of PITB, said that initially 1.25 lakh students were enrolled under the E-earn scheme. “Out of these 35,000 students have completed their graduation,” he said and added that in order to make the project fully operational, the government had decided to register potential companies under PPP. “These companies will provide fully loaded coworking network to accommodate the passed-out graduates under the project”, he said and added that the users including SMEs will bear only 40pc rent while the remaining 60pc would be doled out by the government for a period of four months. Sher Afghan said that Pakistan is ranked 4th in freelancing services and our youth have so far earned $10 billion through online services including the E-earn scheme. He said that in this region, India, Philippines and Bangladesh are the competitors. He added that the Coworking Network would be established in each district and the registered organizations must take part in the bidding process and establish coworking stations to facilitate the talented youth to start their online businesses.