ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday directed the project team of Islamabad Technology Park and the Information Technology Ministry to complete the project within current calendar year instead of the scheduled completion date of June 2025.

The prime minister, during his visit to the under-construction site of the country’s largest Islamabad Technology Park, said that the project was launched in 2022 during the coalition government of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and the contract was awarded to a South Korean company.

He said the project was being completed at a cost of Rs 25 billion out of which $70 million (soft loan) was being provided by the South Korean government.

“Soon after taking charge of my office, I issued directions to continue work on the project round the clock,” he said adding that he as Chief Minister Punjab had introduced the system of 24 hours work on the development projects.

Expressing satisfaction over the progress of the project, PM Shehbaz Sharif asked the project management to try their best to complete the project by September or October this year.

He said after completion of the project, some 120 offices of different companies would be established in the Park. Similarly, he said an incubation center with 15 offices and startups would also be part of the Technology Park with a business support center where legal marketing and financial support facilities would be provided under one umbrella.

Around 10,000 productive jobs would be created in the IT Park for the skilled and knowledgeable workforce, he said. The prime minister highlighted that as a result of the the construction of the IT Park, the country’s exports would be increased by around US$70 million per year.

He said a level 3 data center-one of the highest and fist ever in Pakistan- would be established in the IT Park. He pointed out that Islamabad Technology Park would create synergy between domestic and foreign academia, researchers, industry and planners.

The prime minster vowed to replicate such projects in other parts of the country with cooperation of the the provincial governments. The prime minister thanked the government of South Korea for their generous contribution in organizing this project.