20000418

FPCCI urged to discuss

trade grievances on

computer education

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: The President of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Fazlur Rehman Dittu, has been urged to summon a meeting of the Standing Committee on Education, Science & Technology to discuss the grievances of business community with regard to computer technology.

S.Subhan Bakhsh, a member of the Standing Committee on Education, Science & Technology, in a letter to FPCCI President has suggested that following grievances needed immediate consideration of the committee.

1) Business community is being harassed on the pretext that "Patent Rights on Technology are violated and pirated software are being used." Software floppies are openly sold on footpaths of New York for US $ 5, which if purchased from Microsoft costs US $ 250 a piece. If they cannot stop such activities within their own country why should Pakistan business community allow the law of Pakistan to be exploited by them to drain our hard earned foreign exchange and also to keep our generation illiterate," Bakhsh said.

2) Since Pakistan's business community requires more awareness of this field and manpower thereof, to cater to the present and future needs, it should be given proper membership in all working groups and divisions related to computer science and education policy within the Ministry of Science & Technology.

3) A seat be given to nominees of FPCCI on Boards of Technical Education in all the four provinces for proper check on science and computer education institutions as it is being observed that mushroom coaching centres have emerged which are not-paying attention to the syllabi. Such institutes are rather robbing students with false promises.

Pricing of software by Microsoft should be subjected to control as is done in pharmaceuticals, etc.

4) FPCCI should approach the CBR to grant complete tax holiday for all kinds of material and services in this field for next 7-10 years.

5) Previous governments in Pakistan had committed certain blunders by agreeing that Pakistan will use only licensed software from year 2000. We have to examine these commitments in their true perspective and should strive with full force at once so that Pakistan gets atleast seven years amenity to use copied educational material and software as our economy does not permit otherwise.