IRC and the PITB signs MoU support IT based projects

Lahore: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between The International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the PITB at Arfa Software Technology Park on Thursday.

The Regional Director of IRC for Asia, Caucasus & Middle East, Ms. Sanna Johnson and Chairman Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Dr. Umar Saif, inked the MoU.

The meeting was attended, among others, by IRC Pakistan’s Country Director Muhammad Adeel Qaiser Khan, and IRC Pakistan’s Deputy Director Programs Adnan Bin Junaid, PITB’s Director General (e-Governance) Sajid Latif, Director General (IT-Solutions) Waqar Naeem Qureshi, Director General (IT) Rizwan Ahmad, GM (IT) PITB Ms. Mohibi Hussain and Director (IT) PITB Burhan Rasool.

Addressing the guests, Dr. Umar Saif said that the MoU signed with the IRC would greatly support IT based projects of PITB that were aimed at serving the humanity. He told that PITB had already used ICT tools skillfully in payment of relief assistance to the TDPs and flood affected populations. He thanked the guests on expressing the trust in PITB’s achievements, and assured to promote and showcase the expert use of information technology in humanitarian actions. “We will explore further potential applications of new information technologies and platforms for emergency preparedness, risk reduction and humanitarian assistance; participate in joint public events at local and international level and advocate issues of common interest related to the mission and expertise of both the organizations” he added.

Ms. Sanna Johnson reiterated that The IRC is a global non-governmental humanitarian aid, relief and development organization founded by Albert Einstein in 1933. The IRC is presently headed by the former Foreign Minister of UK, David Miliband, who has also visited the PITB last year.

She said that the IRC will closely work with PITB to identify and develop projects that would create synergies between the respective areas of expertise of both the organisations. She said that this MoU will reinforce the efforts in attracting interest and investment from bilateral and multilateral assistance agencies to enhance the capacity of humanitarian actors.

Ms. Johnson affirmed that each joint project would be governed by a mutually agreed specific teaming agreement and such collaborative efforts will surely create much wider and larger impact for the most vulnerable populations of Pakistan.