Google Exec quits job to lead digital transformation initiative in Pakistan
After spending nearly 20 years, learning at the finest MIT school and working at Google, Tania Aidrus is back in Pakistan to head the country’s latest initiative called ‘Digital Pakistan’. But why?
“I came back to contribute to country’s development because I want to see Pakistan prosper” said the tech consultant at the opening of ‘Digital Pakistan’ initiative launched by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday.
Digital Pakistan program aims to ensure access to Internet for every Pakistani as a fundamental right, create a digital infrastructure to make everyday tasks easier, faster and secure, digitize government processes, invest in digital education and create an enabling environment for startups and investors.
Speaking at the launch event, PM Imran Khan said that after attaining the economic stability, the government would now focus on effective digitization of public services. The digital transformation was vital, he said, to create jobs, encourage local entrepreneurship. “It would unleash the true potential of Pakistan’s youth population,” and benefit women. The initiative also aims to introduce digital payments, simplify administrative processes, curb corruption, and promote transparency.
Minister of IT Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that Pakistan must catch up on the digital race of artificial intelligence and 6G technology and create an empowering environment for the country’s 25,000 IT graduates.
5 Pillars of Digital Pakistan:
- 1. Access and Connectivity to ensure every Pakistani has access to Internet as a fundamental right
- 2. Digital Infrastructure that makes everyday tasks easier, faster and secure on smartphones
- 3. E-government that digitizes government processes and services for citizens and businesses
- 4. Digital Skills and Literacy that enables tech graduates to secure relevant jobs
- 5. Innovation and Entrepreneurship to provide an enabling environment for startups and businesses
Who is Tania Aidrus?
Tania holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management and a BSc from Brandeis University who joined the field of technology nearly 10 years ago. Before joining Digital Pakistan initiative, she served as the director of product management and payments at Google’s Next Billion Users (NBU) and earlier as Country Manager for South Asia Emerging Markets in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, at the Google headquarters in Singapore.
“I just want to see Pakistan prosper”: Tania
Addressing the attendees, Tania Aidrus said that she decided to come back to give her best to her homeland. PM Imran Khan’s government, she said, gave her and Pakistani expats the hope and confidence to work for the country. “I believe this government cares about the common people” she said. “I just want to see the progress of Pakistan” she replies when asked about her reason to quit Google job to take lead Digital Pakistan.
The technology expert is certain that Pakistan’s 100 million tech-savvy young people, growing middle class, 70 million internet users can expedite the tech growth if the government offers them enabling environment and introduce systems that promote innovation and digitalization.
What is Digital Pakistan?
The program aims to transform lives and economies by making processes smarter, easier and efficient with the help of smartphones to explore the potential for Pakistan’s 100 million young population, 170 million mobile users and 75 million broadband users while bridging the digital divide.