Karachi, March 11, 2023 - The book "Digital Pakistan" by Dr. Imran Batada was launched at the Institute of Business Management (IoBM), Karachi on Saturday, March 11, 2023. The book offers a complete digital media guideline for policymakers, industry professionals, and students to move forward, transform, and contribute to the GDP of Pakistan. Dr. Ishrat Husain, Former Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan was the Chief Guest at the occasion.
Mr.
Fahd Haroon, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Public Communication &
Digital Platforms also attended the event. Mr. Haroon holds an extensive
experience in holding government offices covering a wide range of strategic,
media and public relation domains.
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Dr.
Imran Batada, an esteemed professional whose career spans over 20 years both
locally and internationally, is currently serving as the Chief Technology
Officer and Director Center for Information Technology (CIT) at IoBM. The
speakers at the book launch ceremony considerably appreciated his efforts in
writing the book that presents a holistic viewpoint and insights on how to best
utilize digital media in Pakistan. The panelists were of the view that digital
media is the future. This book will provide a roadmap for industry leaders,
policy makers, and especially students and freelancers to broaden their
mental horizon regarding the nature and working of digital media and how best
to utilize its various elements for personal and professional growth. The book
is one of the many books published by IoBM. The guests appreciated how IoBM is
facilitating its faculty members in the book publishing process.
In
his welcome address, Mr. Talib Karim, President, IoBM stated that: “This year
IoBM has launched two books. The first one was by Dr. Shahida Wizarat, launched
in February. Dr. Imran Batada’s book is the second in the series. Dr. Imran has
done a remarkable job in initiating IoBM to have a paperless environment. We
are in the process of developing a campus management software and he has
successfully initiated a digital marketing diploma at IoBM primarily to facilitate
freelancers. This book is a collection of his articles over many years.”
The
Chief Guest, Dr. Ishrat Hussain, in his speech, expressed his views noting: “I
admire his efforts in compiling his articles in the form of a book. Reading
books has become a rare commodity. We have become 14-word captive readers. We
should devote time to reading articles and understanding their content.
Bringing articles on various subjects in one book is a commendable step. I
congratulate Mr. Talib Karim for supporting this project.”
Mr.
Fahd Haroon also lauded the book and said: “This work from Dr. Imran is a timely
and important contribution to the ongoing discussion of digital Pakistan.
Digitalization has the potential to revolutionize our business and
communication while also bringing an opportunity to connect with people from
all over the world. As public office holders, it is our duty to ensure digital
platforms are used for constrictive activities”
While
talking to the media, Dr. Imran Batada said, "The book, Digital Pakistan,
emphasizes the importance of digitalization for Pakistan's future. We need to
embrace digitization, invest in our digital infrastructure, and build an
ecosystem that fosters growth, innovation, and prosperity. The world is headed
for a digital future, and we cannot afford to fall behind. The time has come
for Pakistan to embrace digitalization and exploit it to its full
potential".
Amongst
those who attended the event were renowned professionals including Ashfaque
Ahmed, Head of Digital, BankIslami Pakistan Ltd., Shaukat Ali Khan, Global
Chief Information Officer, Aga Khan University, Tabasum Abid, Director IT and
Chief Technical Officer, Sindh Police, Hussein Hassanali, GM, Head IT Audit,
Habib Bank Limited, Iftikhar Arif, General Manager IT and E-commerce, Muller
& Phillips Pakistan; and Sohaib Hassan, Co-Founder Brand & Media
Learning Hub.