The Punjab Information Technology Board PITB has a chairman after four months when Dr Saif left his office. The appointment of the new chief of PITB suggests that the PTI team obsession with complaint handling mechanisms has forced the provincial govt to nominate someone so that the work continues.
The appointment of Azfar Manzoor as acting chief by the governor Punjab at least ensures the continuity of the high professional profile of the occupant off the seat. Having a diversified experience as a civil servant as well as a graduate of MIT in computer science he carries with his name the required experience and operational capabilities expected of the seat.
It may not be out if context to say that PITB to date stands as the only setup at all provinces level which has been at the advanced stage of technology as option for public service. With the government eager to show action even it does not solves problem is the current goal of all the PTI setups.
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The new incumbent, however, will have to work hard at one level to prove that he is a credible replacement for Dr Saif and also that he is able to satisfy the current Govt.
Going forward it is hoped that the appointment is made permanent with the passage of time. A great mix of operational exposure and the requisite related field knowledge makes Azhar a worthy new chief of PINT.
Mr. Azfar Profile
Azfar has twenty-five plus years of diverse experience in the public and private sector as well as an entrepreneur. He started his professional journey from United States where after finishing his education from MIT he worked for various multinational companies before deciding to come back. In Pakistan, he was the founding member and CEO of two startup 1echnology companies, one in the software and other in the level domain. Later he decided to join the Civil Service of Pakistan and is now part of Pakistan Administrative Service. His passion is to use his IT and Telecom experience publ c sector to improve service delvery.
EDUCATION
Lahore University of Management Sciences. Lahore. Pakistan
Master in Business Administration
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA MS & BS in Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences
Aitchison College Lahore. Pakistan Cambridge 0 Levels and A Levels
HONORS
Member of Tau Beta Pi, National Engineering Honor Society of America Member Eta Kappa Nu.National EE & CS Honor Socie y of America
BOARD MEMBER UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND
Azfar served on the Board of the Universal Service Fund for over five years.USF main objective is to help expand telecommunication and broadband services in the remote and underserved areas to minimize and ultimately remove the digital divide. He also headed the Board’s Audit & Finance committee as its Chairman.
REGIONAL CHAIR FOR M I T IN PAKISTAN
Azfar has been associated with MIT since 1992. initially as an Educational Councilor and then as Regional chair for Pakistan. His role Is to help build the relationship between MIT’s admissions office and educational institutions in Pakistan. as well as oversee the interview process for students who apply from Pakistan for admission to MIT. He was also entrusted with the responsibility to oversee. help and support the activities of the Educational Councils of MIT in Pakistan.
Azfar has varied experience in his public sector career spanning over eighteen years including field assignments and sectetarfat positions in NWFP & Punjab provinces.
Alter completing his common and specialized trainings in Lahore he started his career as a civil servant from the province of NWFP where he worked in
Thereafter he took charge as Assistant Commissioner Ferozwala and later on worked In the Provincial Secretariat in Punjab in various positions in the Finance department Higher Education Department and Population Welfare Department.
Azfar started his professional journey from the United States where he worked for National Semiconductors Inc. as a senior design engineer, moving on to Cambridge Technology Partners where he worked as a software consultant and was involved in the design development and Implementation of software systems for customers in the public as well as private sector.
He also briefly taught undergraduate courses at MIT in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences department.
Azfar is also the founding member and CEO of two startups in the software and in internet domains. the last one WOL Telecom under his leadership was transformed from a small ISP to being the leading brand in the internet and broadband space of
