DFID Country Head Richard Montgomery visits PITB

Lahore: “Path breaking work through incredibly impressive teams and world class leadership”, the Country Head of UK Department for International Development (DFID) Richard Montgomery wrote down these words in its Visitors’ Book after visiting Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) last day.

Chairman PITB Dr. Umar Saif briefed him about the achievements and work of his organization during a meeting that was also attended among others by DFID head Punjab Ben French. Mr. Richard said that he was ambitious to extend the collaborations of DFID with the PITB particularly in the sectors of Health, Education and entrepreneurship.

He showed keen interest in PITB’s diverse projects such as Open Data Initiative, e-Learn Punjab and Health programs. He appreciated the startup incubator Plan9 and its allied programs PlanX and Tech Hub. Dr. Umar Saif while delivering a detailed presentation, told a number of success stories with special focus on Disease Surveillance Program, Citizen Feedback Model, e-Khidmat Center, Crime Intelligence Systems, ITU’s ATM project for drinking water and digitization of school books.

He told that PITB’s Citizen Feedback Model was recently adopted by European country Albania that had been playing a key role in curbing corruption from within lucrative departments of Punjab since 2012. He told that PITB was aiming at creating a transparent, accountable and efficient Punjab with the help of modern technology. Dr. Umar Saif said that other provinces and countries were also contacting to collaborate with the Punjab IT Board.

Earlier, Mr. Richard visited Plan9 where he was briefed by Mr. Nabeel A. Qadeer on different aspects of the project. He was told that Plan9 prepared more than 66 world class companies now supporting to the Pakistani economy in form of exports and foreign investment.

Mr. Nabeel told that Plan9 was flourishing day by day and established in 23 universities of Pakistan so far. At the end, Dr. Umar Saif presented a beautiful memento of Arfa IT Tower to the distinguished guest.