Pakistan

Tania Aidrus’ return revives nepotism concerns, clouding SIFC’s $25 Billion IT Export ambitions

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Digital Desk

2 years ago

ISLAMABAD: An ex-adviser to former prime minister Imran Khan, Tania Adrus, has been appointed as the chair of the ‘Digital transformation’ committee in the Shehbaz-led government, it emerged on Friday.

As per the issued notification, Tania Adrus has been appointed as head of the committee to achieve a target of $25 billion to invest in IT exports and technology over the next five years.

In light of the target given by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has prepared an initial plan for increasing IT exports and Tech investment to USD 25 billion per year by 2029.

According to the notification available with Daily Ausaf/ABN News, MoITT has divided the USD 25 bn target after 5 years into four sectors including Tech Service (USD 7 Bn), Product Export (USD 2 Bn), FDI/Investment (USD 4 Bn), Digital Transformation (USD 10 Bn), and Captive IT Business/Resource Augmentation (USD 2 Bn 2).

In view of the above targets, the IT Minister has approved the formation of committees to develop an Implementation Plan to achieve the targets. The Implementation Plan should include but not be limited to the identification of initiatives, projects, reforms, incentives, collaborations, institutions (if any), National level legislations/policies (if any), implementation phases, stakeholders, etc. The task is to be completed by May 28, 2024.

It is pertinent to mention that, in the previous month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the appointment of Tania S. Aidrus as the convener of an interim Digital Committee for the Digital Nation Pakistan initiative.

Earlier, Tania Adirus also served as former Head of PM Imran Khan’s Digital Pakistan Initiative, but resigned from her position on June 29, 2020, following extreme criticism from the establishment and the opposition for having dual nationality.

According to the sources, Tania Adirus was then appointed as Special Assistant to PM Khan on the recommendation of Jahangir Tareen. She was involved in fraudulent activities during Imran Khan’s regime as a head of Khan’s Digital Initiative.

She allegedly worked as Jahangir Tareen’s aide in money laundering activities which has raised serious concerns about SIFC’s credibility with the appointment of Tania Aidrus among other tech experts.

Digital Desk