Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz recently approved free Wi-Fi facility for cities in the province to boost freelancing and e-commerce, reports WealthPK. Scores of people from Faisalabad Division and its adjoining districts are attached with the e-commerce sector, earning handsome amounts by selling various products like shoes, dresses, jewelry, cosmetics, etc. Free Wi-Fi will generate multiple jobs for the youth and enable more people to launch their online stores. Adnan Masood, a software developer, told WealthPK that the world was rapidly changing due to the internet, which enables people to launch multiple businesses in countries of their choice. “As a software developer, I am working with different clients in the US and earning a handsome amount. Skill and internet connection are the two most important things to keep your clients satisfied,” Adnan said. He said it's praiseworthy that the government was going to promote freelancing by ensuring free internet facility for the people.

Ashraf, a teacher at a state-run university, said people hesitate to support their children in engaging in online business and thought it wastage of time and unnecessary interactions with unknown persons, but in reality, they were not aware of the importance of the internet and how it was transforming the world rapidly. “Earlier, the same facility was provided to the public but it developed speed and connectivity issues and the department responsible to maintain the project could not perform its duty efficiently. However, I am sure this time Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz will not compromise on the speed and connectivity,” he said. Talking to WealthPK, Mohsin Ali, a computer science student pursuing his graduation, said he had started learning the HTML language to venture into web development. He said the demand for web development was increasing due to the advancements in information technology. He said free internet access will certainly help the youth grow online and earn for their country. “I am learning HTML language online without any cost, as the internet is available at my home.

However, scores of my friends lack this facility, restricting them to exhibit their traits and skills,” Mohsin Ali said. Sehr Ali, a saleswoman at a local store, told WealthPK that she would avail herself of the free internet facility to start her ladies’ garments business through the social media, as she lacked the required funds to purchase hosting, domain and website designing. However, she has a cell phone which will help her display her products across various social media platforms. “A major public park near my home will be my office in the morning due to the free internet facility,” she shared her business plan with a smile. A government officer from the Punjab Information Technology Board told WealthPK that free internet facility was already available at multiple public points; however, connectivity and speed issues needed attention. He said the chief minister was very much interested in boosting the facility so that the youth could use it efficiently to earn for their families and the country. The department is actively working to pursue the dream of the chief minister, he added.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan