Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was presented with a detailed plan to elevate Pakistan’s IT exports to $25 billion over the next five years. The Ministry of Information Technology outlined a roadmap during a high-level meeting in Islamabad, focusing on reforms across various IT segments.
The plan sets ambitious targets, including $15 billion from IT exports, $1 billion from telecom exports, and $10 billion through digitalization initiatives. During the meeting, the PM emphasized Pakistan’s vast talent pool and resources, stressing that with better education, training, and resource utilization, the country could exceed the $25 billion target.
The PM praised the proposed IT reforms as exemplary and directed all institutions to collaborate to overcome challenges hindering progress. He assured that he would personally oversee their implementation.
To equip Pakistani youth with international-standard skills, the PM instructed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to develop a comprehensive education and training strategy. Highlighting opportunities for IT professionals in Gulf countries, he called for swift action to capitalize on this demand.
The meeting also revealed notable progress in Pakistan’s IT sector, including a 34% rise in IT exports over the last four months, a leap in global e-governance rankings by 14 spots, registration of 2,500 new IT companies, and an improvement in the country’s IT ranking from 79th to 40th position. A proposed Labour Management System was also discussed to align workforce capacity with industry demands and promote job creation through educational partnerships.
Additionally, a project to streamline remittances for freelancers and IT professionals was introduced, along with initiatives to integrate international payment gateways. The PM commended these steps and called for their rapid implementation.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahsan Iqbal Cheema, Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and senior officials from relevant departments.
