Ignite CEO Syed Junaid Imam and Mobilink Microfinance Bank President Ghazanfar Azzam signed the MoU under the presence of Federal Minister for IT & Telecom, Syed Amin Ul Haque, Secretary IT & Telecom, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui and JazzCash CEO Erwan Gelebart. This partnership enables DigiSkills.pk freelancers to transfer money from their Payoneer accounts into their JazzCash Mobile Account in real time and at the best exchange rates. In addition to this, these freelancers can also register their Payoneer Account from the JazzCash App, eliminating the need for commercial bank accounts. Federal Minister for IT & Telecom, Amin Ul Haque, the chief guest for the signing ceremony, said, “With the current COVID outbreak and the overall economic situation, it is all the more relevant that through this partnership, the youth is provided the right enablers to take up freelancing from the comfort of their homes and become self-reliant.” He said that this agreement will be helpful in facilitating the freelancers. This partnership between Ministry of IT’s attached department Ignite and JazzCash will be helpful in increasing IT exports, he added. He said that IT exports in prevous financial year reached US $1.11 billion which is examplary. Now Ministry of IT has set the target of taking IT exports up to US $5 billion in next three years. He said that Ministry of IT is providing different plateforms to Pakistani youth for their access to international markets. “We realized that international payment retrieval was a painstakingly slow process for freelancers. JazzCash saw an opportunity to use its expertise to introduce convenience and speed up the entire process for the freelance community at DigiSkills.pk,” stated Erwan Gelebart, as he emphasized upon JazzCash’s support for freelancers across the country. In line with its vision to promote freelancing in Pakistan, JazzCash, through this partnership, aims to complete the loop for the freelance ecosystem. Both entities aim to serve the freelance community by raising awareness, equipping them with the right skills, and providing smooth payment options to aspiring freelancing. In his opening remarks, Syed Junaid Imam said, “DigiSkills.pk has imparted 1.2 million trainings to the youth that have enabled them to earn the livelihood and support their academic pursuits. Getting the money in your account is the name of the game hence this partnership will inspire the youth learn online skills to generate the much-needed foreign exchange for their families and the country.” A National Level Training Program, DigiSkills.pk was launched by MOITT through Ignite. The program aims to develop key specialized skills besides imparting knowledge about various freelancing and other employment and entrepreneurial opportunities available internationally and locally. The program free os cost 10 online courses including Freelancing, Digital Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Graphic Design, Digital Literacy, e-Commerce Management, Creative Writing, QuickBooks, AutoCAD and WordPress.
