PM Imran announces zero-tax for registered e-freelancers

Islamabad: Announcing zero tax for registered e-freelancers, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Monday said that said American technologist Bill Gates visited Pakistan last week on his invitation as he wanted to involve him in Pakistan’s IT sector.

Addressing the launching ceremony of the National E-Tijarat Portal, while assuring the government’s all-out facilitation, the prime minister urged the youth not to miss the IT revolution which would not only generate revenue for themselves but also bridge the country’s trade gap.

“This is the technology revolution. The youth should in no way miss it. We expect the country’s IT exports to reach $50 billion in a few years,” the prime minister said addressing the launching ceremony of the National E-Tijarat Portal here.

He said the government would remove all impediments in the IT sector to facilitate youth so that they could benefit from the technology revolution. He said the IT industry was youth-specific as tech giants became billionaires in their 20s and had old-aged people as their subordinates.

The prime minister said consequent to the government’s incentives, the IT exports had reached around $4 billion which would further enhance to fill the import-export gap.

He said he would come up with good news in a few days in that regard. However, he also lauded Bill Gates’s contribution to Pakistan for polio eradication as the country reported no case last year.

The prime minister, who earlier launched E-Tijarat Portal, said the country’s elite-centric system always resisted the common man from excelling. However, despite having no developed systems, Pakistan’s youth had immense potential.

He said the government had also introduced a core education curriculum for up to fifth class so far to do away with the systemic discriminations of English and Urdu medium education.

Exemplifying a freelancer girl Nadia from Gilgit, Imran Khan said IT provided the easiest opportunity particularly for women to contribute to the national development. Even the 60% of the country’s population under the age of 30 can also be used for this purpose, he added.

He said having an old connection with the overseas Pakistanis, he knew their potential as they excelled in numerous fields abroad wherever they got a level playing field.

The prime minister also appreciated his Special Assistant on E-Commerce Aon Abbas Buppi for his concise and informative presentation as well as his dedicated efforts to promote e-commerce.

He told the gathering that the incumbent government had inherited a bankrupt country but being a sportsman, he knew how to sail through the difficulties and always advised his cabinet never to worry about it.