HARIPUR: The Pakistan Digital City (PDC) Haripur has been designated as a “special technology zone” by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board (KPITB) and the Special Technology Zones Authority (STZA) in an effort to promote innovation and technology-driven progress.
The action is being hailed as a “pivotal stride” in improving the technology environment in the area. PDC Haripur is set to benefit from tax incentives under this arrangement, which will make it a tax-exempt area for businesses that operate there. According to a statement released in this respect, “This strategic measure is expected to bolster the growth of IT businesses associated with PDC Haripur, offering them a 10-year tax exemption period that fosters a conducive environment for technological advancement.”
With dignitaries like Special Assistant to the K-P Chief Minister for Science and Technology Khalid Latif Khan in attendance along with representatives from the STZA and KPITB, PDC Haripur is the largest IT project the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has ever worked on. This project, started by the previous government and spanning 88 kanals, intends to realize the government’s Digital Pakistan Vision.
Additionally, officials stated that this development portends well for IT workers working in the Pakistan Digital City, offering them affordable housing and a favorable atmosphere. Furthermore, this effort will be beneficial to foreign IT specialists because formal invitations have been sent to foreign businesses to invest in Pakistan Digital City, which will boost IT activity in KPK.
An important turning point in this trip was the establishment of the Pakistan Digital City Special Technology Zone in Haripur three years ago, which was funded in part with an initial infusion of Rs1.31 billion by former prime minister Imran Khan. This project is in line with current IT industry developments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Beyond information technology, the project’s scope includes adjacent industries including electronics, software houses, the mobile phone industry, technology incubators, and the computer industry, all of which support the province’s entire ecosystem for technological innovation and growth.
