Gilani turns to Google for help in tracking Afghan cross-border movement

Islamabad, While relations with the U.S. remain on a sour note, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has sought to address the key issue of cross-border movement across the Durand Line by reaching out to Google”s Executive Chairman Eric Emerson Schmidt.

Schmidt had called on Gilani at the Parliament Chamber in Islamabad to discuss a range of programmes and partnerships, reports The Express Tribune.

Gilani underscored the need for utilising technology to compile electronic data of cross-border movement between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which would in turn help tracking down terrorists.

Gilani highlighted that over 40,000 people crossed the hundreds of kilometers long border on a daily basis and it was virtually impossible to keep a physical check at some locations due to the rough terrain, despite the presence of Pakistani check posts.

Schmidt said building up and maintaining of databases through use of information technology was crucial to deal with security issues as well as law and order situation.

Schmidt was told that the Pakistan Government is determined to set-up IT centres in every Union Council as a measure for job creation as well as for promotion of Information Technology-related knowledge in the far-flung areas of the country.

He said Pakistan had registered a 120 per cent growth in broadband adoption during past three years, with seven million users.

Gilani maintained that Pakistan deeply acknowledged and recognised the efforts being carried out by Google for undertaking various community-based projects in the country.