ISLAMABAD: A new freelancing hub has been set up in the Gupis area of Gilgit-Baltistan, offering a significant opportunity for local youth to access digital skills and employment opportunities. The initiative, a collaboration between the Pakistan Army and the Special Communications Organization (SCO), was launched at the Government Boys High School in Gupis, a district in the Ghizer region.
Umar Jan, the principal of the school, praised the establishment of the freelancing hub, emphasizing that it was designed to cater to the needs of the younger generation in the area. For the first time, students in Gupis will have access to resources and training in freelancing, online business, and digital marketing. This initiative is expected to empower students with the skills needed to pursue remote work and earn a livelihood in the digital economy.
Principal Jan highlighted that such hubs are essential in today’s world, as they provide valuable career opportunities for young people in remote areas, where employment options can often be limited. He expressed gratitude to the Pakistan Army and SCO for their efforts in bringing this project to life, noting that it would equip students with the knowledge and tools to succeed in the global online marketplace.
This freelancing hub is seen as a game-changer for the region, offering youth in Gupis a pathway to self-sufficiency and professional growth in the ever-expanding digital economy.
Earlier, through a partnership between the Special Communications Organization (SCO) and the Aga Khan Foundation, Pakistan (AKF, P), the new Software Technology Park in Nasirabad, Hunza will support the sustainable development of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) by providing uninterrupted power supply, high-speed internet, and a co-working space for small and growing start-ups, freelancers, and chambers of commerce.
The Nasirabad Software Technology Park will act as the central resource for a hub and spokes model linking other IT facilities in more remote areas of the region. This will enhance access to distance learning, entrepreneurship and career counselling, and digital skills development, while catalysing freelance business opportunities.
Present on the occasion were the Director General of the Special Communications Organization, Major General Umar Ahmad Shah; the Director of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development and Chairman of Habib Bank Limited, Mr Sultan Ali Allana; the President of the Ismaili Council for Pakistan, MrNizarMewawalla; and the Chief Executive Officer of AKF, P, Mr Akhtar Iqbal.
Chairman Sultan Ali Allana expressed his optimism that the new Software Technology Park will strengthen the economy of the region: “The users of this new facility will be reliably connected to businesses in Pakistan and around the world. This will provide a range of opportunities nationally and internationally, foster innovation, facilitate the creation of new business networks, and drive economic growth in the region.”
