ISLAMABAD - Pakistan is planning to start local manufacturing of SIMs and smart cards for protecting the country from the threat of cyber-attacks, creating employment opportunities and saving precious foreign exchange. “Pakistan is planning to start local manufacturing of SIMs and smart cards to shield the country from the threat of cyber-attacks amid a brewing cyber war,” said an annual report of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. Digital transformation and the creation of an enabling ecosystem are one of the key objectives of the government, and in the era of digital services, SIMs and smart cards assume pivotal importance. The local manufacturing of SIMs will massively benefit the economy as millions of SIMs are currently imported. PTA fully supported the requisite role of performing authorization, compliance, and adoption of SIM card manufacturing, etc., in the telecom sector. The local SIM and smart card manufacturing industry has already become the principal sector in many national economies and is playing an important role in creating sustainable economic growth. The role of the said industry will not be restricted to the domestic engineering perspective or transfer of technology. Analyzed from a business perspective, it will boost the economy by creating employment opportunities, generating tax income, and saving precious Forex. Moreover, it will add another practical dimension for academia vis-à-vis research and development. Assemblies' dissolution will give PTI 'an edge,' says Asad
The Nation, 14 Jan, 2023