Islamabad – 10 May 2018: Jazz has introduced a digital policy framework for the Government of Pakistan after analyzing 7 developing countries, which already have a Digital Policy in place. Called ‘Accelerate to a Digital State’, this policy framework was presented to Minister of State for IT& Telecommunication (MoITT), Ms. Anusha Rahman at the graduation ceremony of National Incubation Center’s (NIC) 1st Cohort.

15 technology startups from the 1st cohort graduated from the NIC during the ceremony, where each member was awarded mementos by Ms. Anusha Rahman.

The first NIC in Islamabad was set up under a joint public-private partnership between Jazz, Ignite, and TeamUp. It is the largest incubation center in Pakistan with 40 startups inducted each year in six months cycle for a twelve-month program.

The NIC provides world class facilities, a best in class customized curriculum and Jazz’s bespoke Jazz xlr8 acceleration program. This acceleration program provides resources and expertise to help young entrepreneurs fulfill their potential by giving them access to Jazz’s user base, a global and local network of skilled mentors, and access to digital platforms.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Ms. Anusha Rahman, stated, “It is a day of celebration not only for the passing out cohort, but for us as well. You should have faith in the learning and expertise developed during your time at the NIC. And I hope you are able to share this success with your communities, peers and friends.”

“This NIC is a testament to the growing synergy between the public and private sectors to promote youth-led entrepreneurship and realize the government’s dream of a Digital Pakistan. While we embark on the journey of empowering our communities through technology, it is pertinent to look at other countries, which are ahead of us on the digitalization curve. This is where Jazz comes in with its global expertise under its Group, Veon. Their digital policy framework looks to assist the government in achieving its SDGs through digitalization,” she added, while talking about ‘Accelerate to a Digital State’.

Jazz, as the country’s leading digital company, has always been pro-active in working hand in hand with the government towards realizing the vision of a Digital Pakistan.

Moving ahead with its support for the government and realizing that start-ups and digital initiatives require an enabling ecosystem to grow, Jazz and its parent company, VEON, have worked in developing the framework for National Digitalization with support of MoITT.

Talking about Jazz’s vision for the country, Aamir Ibrahim, CEO – Jazz, said, “Being a leading digital company with global expertise through VEON, Jazz believes in empowering societies. We are doing so by building a healthy, robust startup ecosystem and bridging the digital divide through our vast data network. The next step is to ensure a digital ecosystem that not only supports our endeavors, but also assists the government in achieving its SDGs.”

The ‘Accelerate to a Digital State’ talks about the critical need for having a prioritized National Digital Agenda and Strategy, and deploying the right governance structure and channeling the funds to execute this agenda.

The report recommends to accelerate the progress in the following key areas for reaching the Digital State; building digital capabilities and access for all; Digitalizing industries and key sectors; Developing mass level citizen service and smart cities; creating an enabling ecosystem; increasing public private partnerships. In addition, the report details on how to implement digitalization in Pakistan by building on the examples from other countries.