All organisations have their own distinctive sub-culture, workplace rituals and traditions. In Spider, ‘getting lost’ has come to be regarded as an initiation rite. Now don’t get me wrong. Most visitors and newcomers to Spider, indubitably lose their bearings on their maiden visit to Spider’s office, as they try to navigate the corridors of Haroon House, to locate and reach Spider’s hidy-hole. Six years ago, I too found myself in the same ‘lost’ situation.
Working at Spider since October 2005, and subsequently heading the editorial team for the past four years, has been a unique and rewarding experience in itself. Being associated with the magazine, I have had the good fortune to meet and engage with inspiring industry leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators, who despite all odds and hardships have managed to carve a reputation for excellence – for themselves and for Pakistan’s information technology (IT) industry. And where else would I have had the opportunity to connect with incredibly bright and talented young people, motivated to excel in the field of IT, telecommunications and tech journalism? Your enthusiasm and passion for the magazine has been a guiding light and a motivational force. Then, of course, the steady stream of latest mobile phones, hardware, gadgets and tech toys, which we have had the enviable pleasure of testing and reviewing for our readers, in the last few years, further sweetened the deal.
Over the years, Spider has tried to highlight the various issues, problems, and triumphs and successes of Pakistan’s IT and telecommunication sector. Despite the irrepressible enthusiasm and forward thinking found in the industry, it’s indeed unfortunate to see Pakistan’s IT sector suffer due to the government’s indifference. During the last six years, we have been subjected to more or less the same spiels of government officials harping on about the importance and promotion of IT in Pakistan, at various seminars and events. Talking about the industry and taking concrete steps to actually follow through or even acknowledge issues that are pertinent to the sector are two very different things. To date, the country lacks a Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunication. Pakistan’s National IT policy was first formulated in 2000. Last year, although a revised draft of the National IT Policy was floated on the Ministry of Information and Technology, National IT Development and Promotion Unit website, the initial (and outdated) IT policy remains unchanged. The fact that it does not meet the industry’s expectations or take into account a decade of unprecedented growth and altered ground realities, is largely ignored.
Similar is the case of the Broadband Policy of Pakistan, drafted in 2004. Instead, holding seminars and discussing the prospects and advantages offered by 3G technology is regarded as a more glamorous alternative. Verbally acknowledging the benefits of 3G at various public forums has been the ‘in’ thing to do for the last four years or so. Will I be around to actually witness and experience the long-awaited roll-out of the promised 3G services in Pakistan? Probably not!
As I brace myself to embark on yet another journey of discovery, this time beyond national borders, I have nothing but praise and admiration for the people of Pakistan – for their resilience in the face of adversity and their passion for excellence. Despite all odds, Pakistan has managed to prove its mettle and talent in the field of IT and telecommunications at various international competitions and forums. A case in point would be the increasing number of trophies bagged by our local companies and start-ups at the Asia Pacific ICT Awards, each year. Need more proof? Simply, visit a software competition or IT exhibition at any one of the reputable local universities to witness first-hand the passion and enthusiasm for all things tech among the nation’s future software and telecommunication professionals.
Seventy-two print issues and a few special supplements later, I now bid adieu to this publication. All in all, it has been a rollercoaster ride, but this is where I get off. I am sure that irrespective of my presence or absence, Spider will continue to prosper; and the publication, launched more than a decade ago, with the catchy and promising tagline of “The magazine for those who live their life on the Web”, will soon find its home on the World Wide Web.
This article was first published in the Last Byte section of the October 2011 issue of Spider Magazine, published by the Dawn Media Group.
Reba Shahid 