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From: "Shahab Khan" <afroz@khi.compol.com>
To: <utsumi@columbia.edu>
Subject: Re:REQUEST FOR SUPPORT- IMPORTANT
Date: Sun, 5 Dec 1999 18:46:02 +0500

Dear Tak

Thanks very much for hosting our InfoDev proposal.

We are also very happy and honoured that you have designated Pakistan as a "sub-region" of the Asia-Pacific region in the Global University structure.

We are very eagerly waiting the formal launching of this great educational project.

You are very well aware that the technologies are growing at a much faster pace than the infrastructure, specially in developing countries such as ours and as a result that although we are prepared technologically and institutionally we are not able to commence any project due to lack of the requiste infrastrcture.

In Pakistan we are also anticipating such a situation. After two years of fighting with the Telecom company (which is under government control), we were able to get a BRA ISDN line of 128KBPS, which is the least we need for Vedio conferencing, but now we are confronted with the more difficult task of locating an ISP willing to give us an ISDN, TCP/IP connectivity at an affordable cost. One ISP has agreed to it at the astronomical cost of USD 7000/month.

Our Board has asked me to request for your support in assisting us in presenting a paper to the government explaining the situation and the need of a special tariff for educational institutions so that we may be able to disseminate education over the electronic channel at an affordable cost.

I would, therefore, be very grateful to you if you could prepare a paper explaining the aims and objectives of the Global University System and its methodology, especially the need for affordable delivery and provision of enabling infrastructure. You may also explain PLANWEL close relationship with your Organization and our plans for dissemination of education etc and that since PLANWEL has been designated a key role in the Pakistan, which is now a sub region of the Asia-Pacific region and intends to open POP sites all over the contry and the region for dissemination of courseware from the GUS.

PLANWEL is a not for profit Organization with objectives for mass education, research and development leading to upgradation of the communities through sustainable development and improvement of quality of life of a man. For this comprehensive programme, we need a license for an Educational ISP, on a not for profit basis at a special tariff. I believe your recommendations would greatly help us in presenting our case to the government.

Since this is vital matter. I would be very eagerly waiting to hear form you. I know you are a very busy person with many other engagements, but I am sure that the problems presented in the paper are typical to most developing and even developed countries and would benefit many countries.

We believe that the implementation and recognition of the GUS and our objectives will greatly depend on your recommendation as an World Authority on distance learning through Electronic media.

We hope to present this paper to the Chief Executive of the Country, General Pervaiz Musharraf, who is a very receptive to new technologies.

Kind regards
______________________________
Shahab Khan, Director
Planwel University,
A-1, L.C.H.S., Block-20,
Gulistan-e-Jauhar,
Karachi-75290
Pakistan
http://www.planwel.edu
afroz@planwel.edu
afroz@khi.compol.com
PH: (92-21)811-5094, (92-21)811-5851
FAX: (92-21)811-6178