News sources claim that Pakistan has decided to get laptop assembly plants in the country by inviting global manufacturers to install their plants in Pakistan. Although it is not known that which one of the manufacturers will be invited first or many will be invited altogether but the news reveal that Pakistan desperately wants such plants installed in the country in order to meet the local needs and the surplus will be exported to foreign countries.
The decision regarding installation of the laptop assembly plants has been taken during Prime Minister Youth Laptop Scheme meeting headed by HEC (Higher Education Commission) Chairperson, Dr. Javaid Laghari.
Earlier an announcement by the Government was made in which it was mentioned that around 300,000 laptops would be distributed among bright students studying in Federal Universities at higher courses.
This initiative was taken in order to avoid direct purchasing huge amount of laptops from a single manufacturer. Instead, the manufacturers will be invited to setup their plants and if that is not possible then a manufacturing facility should be installed.
It was decided in the meeting that potential bidders should be invited to an international conference and convince them to setup laptop assembly and manufacturing plants in Pakistan.
It is also noteworthy that distribution of laptops to the students eligible for Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme will be carried out through these assembling and / or manufacturing facilities.
The meeting further discussed the models based upon which the scheme will be implemented and how this whole process will be managed to stay in line with the annual budget and make sure only the bright students will get the laptops.
According to HEC Chairman, the task to design a strategy in order to develop an eligibility criteria in transparent manner and implementing the scheme was handed over to HEC.
Last year more than 100,000 laptops were distributed to college and university students in Punjab by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif under the “Chief Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme.”
