Awais Leghari lauded UNESCAP's efforts and assured Dr Kim of Pakistan's full support. However, he emphasised that several regional countries like Pakistan had made great strides in the ICT arena and now desperately needed a high calibre human resource pool to feed this phenomenal growth. It was important that local training be available on the latest technologies, he added.
He suggested that the training centre being set up in Korea should have branch facilities in Pakistan to provide know-how and expertise. He further proposed that the UNESCAP should identify its needs in the ICT application so that Pakistani IT companies could develop solutions based on those applications. "UNESCAP could then market these solutions to other member countries which would not only generate revenue for the local IT industry but it would also establish Pakistan's credentials as a destination for World class ICT development" he added.
Dr Kim said that the UNESCAP has a pool of regional advisors in various disciplines, including ICT who could be engaged to help Pakistan in these areas. The minister said that if need, his ministry will request the commission to lend support of its experts.