Internet finds home in Gwadar as first Cyber Community Centre (CCC) in Pakistan

April 18, 2001

The first Cyber Community Centre (CCC) in Pakistan was established at Gwadar, Balochistan on April 18. This is another pioneering milestone achieved and set up by the Sustainable Development Networking Programme (SDNP)-a joint project of IUCN-The World Conservation Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-in collaboration with a local NGO, the Rural Community Development Council (RCDC).

The CCC was inaugurated by the Balochistan Minister for Social Welfare Department, Ms. Roshan Khursheed Barocha. She lauded the efforts of the organizers in promoting Information Technology in remote areas of Pakistan. A large number of academics, students, IT professionals and the media attended the event.

This was followed by a seminar on "Role of ICT's in Sustainable Development". Gwadar's website on sustainable human development information was also launched on the occasion. This information rich website introduces Gwadar's ancient history, and gives details of the hierarchal administrative setup, topography, and productive sources of the economy. Intensive information about Gwadar's customs and beliefs; climate and environment; industries; social infrastructure; health; telecommunications; education; population; financial institutions and NGOs' involvement also make for enlightened reading. The site has been developed by SDNP, and can be accessed at http://www.gwadar.sdnpk.org.

The CCC project not only envisages the training pertaining to computer and Internet but the community has also been proactively involved in the exercise.

Speaking to The Nation newspaper, Mr. Moin Haider Zaidi, Coordinator SDNP said that the Internet is rapidly gaining popularity even in the far flung areas of the country which speaks of its immense potential. He said that the people of Gwadar, especially the younger ones, are very keen to learn and benefit from the computers as well as the internet.

Mr. Zaidi said that the project would benefit the people of the area as they would be having access to information available on the Internet using the CCC facility. He said that the second CCC would be set up at Mithi in Tharparkar in the near future. This project will be taken up in collaboration with the Baanh Beli. Later, another CCC would also be set up in a village in Kohat area in collaboration with another organization, Al-Asar Academy. Mr. Zaidi was optimistic that such steps would contribute a lot towards further popularizing the computers and internet in the remote areas of the country so that they could keep pace with the rest of the world.