Prince Rahim Aga Khan recently inaugurated the Nasirabad Software Technology Park in Hunza.
The facility promises uninterrupted power, high-speed internet, and co-working spaces to boost Gilgit-Baltistan’s sustainable development.
Nasirabad Software Technology Park is a joint venture between the Special Communications Organisation (SCO) and the Aga Khan Foundation, Pakistan (AKF-P).
The park will serve as a primary resource for an IT hub-and-spokes model, connecting more remote regional areas. This initiative will facilitate distance learning, entrepreneurship, career counselling, and digital skills development and spur freelance business opportunities.
Several dignitaries attended the opening, including Major General Umar Ahmad Shah of the SCO; Sultan Ali Allana, Director of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development and Chairman of Habib Bank Limited; Nizar Mewawalla, President of the Ismaili Council for Pakistan; and Akhtar Iqbal, CEO of AKF-P.
Sultan Ali Allana expressed his confidence that the new facility would significantly contribute to regional economic strength. He highlighted the facility’s potential to connect local businesses with global markets, fostering innovation and new business networks.
Major General Shah emphasized SCO’s commitment to youth empowerment through IT. He noted that the SCO Vision 2025 includes expanding IT and Freelancing Hubs across Azad Jammu, Kashmir, and Gilgit Baltistan.
He remarked that this initiative would harness youth potential, create job opportunities, and attract foreign remittances. The evolving IT landscape is poised to uplift the socio-economic conditions of the region, allowing the youth to contribute significantly to its development.
Akhtar Iqbal, CEO of AKF Pakistan, underscored Gilgit Baltistan’s potential as a burgeoning hub for software companies in Pakistan. With its essential services and strategic location, he predicted the area would attract national and international tech companies and digital nomads, significantly benefiting the country’s economy.
