K ARACHI: Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal inaugurated a state-of-the-art data centre at the NED University of Engineering and Technology on Wednesday.

According to the university officials, the event marked a significant milestone in Pakistan`s technological advancement and academic collaboration.

The facility is the country`s first `tier-3 certified data centre` aimed at providing best IT services to the public and the private sector.

One of its major operations will be to protect data, prevent leakage and ensure the country`s cyber security.

The officials said it will end Pakistan`s reliance on other countries for data storage and processing and provide services for private cloud computing to Sindh and Balochistan. A similar facility in Lahore will cater to the requirement of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of the country.

The project was executed in two strategicphases, leveraging cutting-edge containerised solutions to enhance efficiency, security and scalability for HEC`s growing digital demands. It is designed for a capacity of four megawatts, the facility stands as a futureready hub, enabling seamless data processing and storage for Pakistan`s higher education sector.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Minister Ahsan Iqbal extended his heartfelt congratulations to the vice chancellor of NED University, the VC of Toronto Metropolitan University, the president of the Canada Business Council and other officials in attendance as well as distinguished faculty members who contributed to the realisation of the landmark project.

`It is indeed a great moment for me to be the chief guest at this ceremony. This data centre aligns with the objectives outlined in Pakistan`s Vision 2025, which aims to bring the country at par with global technological advancements.

He said that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has built this state-ofthe-art data centre in collaboration with Huawei and the World Bank. `This data centre is now the fuel of the future. Once the fuel of industrial development was petrol and now the fuel of the information/knowledgebased economy is data.

He stressed the importance of effective utilisation of the newly inaugurated data centre, urging the HEC to ensure its optimal performance and impact on researchand development.

`Vision 2025 to place Pakistan among top 25 economies of world` Reflecting on Pakistan`s development trajectory, the minister lamented the nation`s history of missed opportunities. He noted that Pakistan had once played a pivotal role in assisting countries such as Korea with their five-year plans, providing Malaysia with higher education resources, and aiding in the establishment of Emirates Airlines.

However, those nations that learned from Pakistan were now role models, while Pakistan itself had struggled with consistent progress due to political instability and frequent government changes.

`Vision 2025, if implemented properly, would place Pakistan among the top 25 economies of the world,` he remarked.

He said that under the PML-N government, Pakistan had successfully eradicated terrorism, ended loadshedding, improved economy, executed the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and restored peace in Karachi.

However, he regretted that these efforts were disrupted by a government change orchestrated by a select few individuals, leadingto setbacksinnationalprogress.

Minister Iqbal underscored that despite Pakistan`s facing severe economic challenges two years ago, the current government has made significant strides in stabilising the economy.

He highlighted key initiatives such as the Uraan Pakistan Programme, aimed at integrating Artificial Intelligence across various sectors to enhance efficiency and global competitiveness.

He also reflected on key technological initiatives undertaken in 2017-2018 and noted that such initiatives were designed to propel Pakistan into the future, but their progress was hindered due to the lack of direction and expertise in subsequent governments.

Looking ahead, Minister Iqbal asserted that Pakistan has the potential to become the fastest-growing economy in Asia, given its strong combination of human capital and natural resources.

In his remarks, HEC chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed appreciated the establishment of the data centre, stating that it would greatly benefit the country in all fields.

Vice Chancellor of NED University Prof Sarosh Lodi said that the data centre would facilitate all universities in IT research and services. `It will improve IT connectivity within and outside Pakistan,` he said, while thanking the HEC for its support in its establishment.