
IT exports hit record at $4.6b
Pakistan's information technology, IT-enabled services (ITeS) and freelancers' exports hit an all-time high of $4.6 billion in fiscal year 2024-25, higher by 26.4% from the previous year, but stakeholders still complained about the lack of government support.
The total exports included $3.8 billion in services' exports and $779 million in earnings from freelancing and remote work, up 90%.
The Ministry of IT and Telecom stressed that the government focused on action across five core areas that contributed to the massive growth. These areas comprised positioning Pakistan globally, investing in talent and infrastructure, protecting and supporting through policy, ensuring stable high-speed internet and digitalisation, especially digitising the economy and cashless initiatives.
IT and Telecom Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said that Pakistan was well on its way to achieve $15 billion in IT exports by 2030. She credited the achievement of $4.6 billion in IT exports to a unified national strategy, led by the government and supported by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and allied institutions.
Speaking to the media, the minister said, "This success is the result of close coordination between the civilian and military leadership, along with contributions from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Ministry of Finance, Planning Commission, Universal Service Fund (USF), Ignite and Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB)."
She highlighted the government's focus on developing human capital, with over 350,000 youth trained through joint programmes with PSEB, Ignite, National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), Higher Education Commission (HEC) and global tech leaders like Google, Huawei and Microsoft.
Shaza Fatima said that the IT ministry had launched 43 new co-working spaces and 23 Special Technology Zones last year, taking the total number of tech parks to 44. These facilities now house over 18,000 professionals engaged in freelancing, remote work and tech startups.
She also announced government-backed incentives to expand those spaces into tier-2 and tier-3 cities through interest-free loans. "We're rapidly emerging as a regional digital and data hub," she stated.
Highlighting the growth in connectivity, the minister said that Pakistan had over 200 million mobile service subscribers, with 150 million active mobile broadband users. Data usage jumped 24% last year and is expected to grow further, signalling deepening digital penetration.
She said that USF connected over 550 villages to the internet in the past one year and aimed to double that number in the current fiscal year. "We're bridging the digital divide in areas the market doesn't serve."
Shaza Fatima announced that the regulatory groundwork for licensing the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite internet providers was nearly complete and licences would be issued in the current year.
Speaking about the government's $25 billion digital vision, the minister elaborated that $15 billion was targeted through IT exports and $10 billion via national digitisation. "We're well on track to achieve this goal," she asserted. One of the key pillars is the Digital Pakistan Act, which paves the way for the Pakistan Digital Authority.
As the minister outlined the achievements, the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) demanded that the government come up with a long-term, predictable tax and compliance framework for the technology and ITeS sector. Association Chairman Sajjad Syed, in a statement, said that innovators were compelled to spend too much time navigating the overlapping regimes and too little time developing export products.

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Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Express Tribune
IT exports hit record at $4.6b
Listen to article Pakistan's information technology, IT-enabled services (ITeS) and freelancers' exports hit an all-time high of $4.6 billion in fiscal year 2024-25, higher by 26.4% from the previous year, but stakeholders still complained about the lack of government support. The total exports included $3.8 billion in services' exports and $779 million in earnings from freelancing and remote work, up 90%. The Ministry of IT and Telecom stressed that the government focused on action across five core areas that contributed to the massive growth. These areas comprised positioning Pakistan globally, investing in talent and infrastructure, protecting and supporting through policy, ensuring stable high-speed internet and digitalisation, especially digitising the economy and cashless initiatives. IT and Telecom Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said that Pakistan was well on its way to achieve $15 billion in IT exports by 2030. She credited the achievement of $4.6 billion in IT exports to a unified national strategy, led by the government and supported by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and allied institutions. Speaking to the media, the minister said, "This success is the result of close coordination between the civilian and military leadership, along with contributions from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Ministry of Finance, Planning Commission, Universal Service Fund (USF), Ignite and Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB)." She highlighted the government's focus on developing human capital, with over 350,000 youth trained through joint programmes with PSEB, Ignite, National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), Higher Education Commission (HEC) and global tech leaders like Google, Huawei and Microsoft. Shaza Fatima said that the IT ministry had launched 43 new co-working spaces and 23 Special Technology Zones last year, taking the total number of tech parks to 44. These facilities now house over 18,000 professionals engaged in freelancing, remote work and tech startups. She also announced government-backed incentives to expand those spaces into tier-2 and tier-3 cities through interest-free loans. "We're rapidly emerging as a regional digital and data hub," she stated. Highlighting the growth in connectivity, the minister said that Pakistan had over 200 million mobile service subscribers, with 150 million active mobile broadband users. Data usage jumped 24% last year and is expected to grow further, signalling deepening digital penetration. She said that USF connected over 550 villages to the internet in the past one year and aimed to double that number in the current fiscal year. "We're bridging the digital divide in areas the market doesn't serve." Shaza Fatima announced that the regulatory groundwork for licensing the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite internet providers was nearly complete and licences would be issued in the current year. Speaking about the government's $25 billion digital vision, the minister elaborated that $15 billion was targeted through IT exports and $10 billion via national digitisation. "We're well on track to achieve this goal," she asserted. One of the key pillars is the Digital Pakistan Act, which paves the way for the Pakistan Digital Authority. As the minister outlined the achievements, the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) demanded that the government come up with a long-term, predictable tax and compliance framework for the technology and ITeS sector. Association Chairman Sajjad Syed, in a statement, said that innovators were compelled to spend too much time navigating the overlapping regimes and too little time developing export products.


Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business Recorder
FY25 IT, ITeS exports soar to $3.8bn: minister
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja announced that Pakistan's IT, IT-enabled services (ITeS), and freelancers' exports soared to a record $3.8 billion in the fiscal year 2024–25 reflecting an impressive 18 per cent year-on-year growth. Terming it a landmark achievement, the minister credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's personal commitment and the government's focused strategy for this success. She said the Ministry of IT targeted policy actions in five key areas played a crucial role in driving this progress. 'These areas include enhancing Pakistan's global visibility in tech, investing in talent and digital infrastructure, offering policy-based protections and incentives, ensuring stable and high-speed internet connectivity and advancing national digitalization—particularly the digital economy and a cashless Pakistan,' Khawaja said. She emphasised that this surge in IT exports is a testament to the effectiveness of government vision and policymaking, backed by the hard work of Pakistan's talented IT professionals, startups, and freelancers, who are positioning the country as a rising global tech force. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025


Business Recorder
15-07-2025
- Business Recorder
NA panel forms body to address Rs19bn default by LDI operators
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication on Monday constituted a sub-committee to address the alarming default of around Rs19 billion by nine Long Distance and International (LDI) operators. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed the committee that more than 100 related cases are pending in various courts, while six of the defaulters have expressed willingness to settle their dues. A structured recovery mechanism, including an instalment-based plan, is under consideration and a proposal has already been submitted to the federal cabinet for guidance. The committee, chaired by MNA Syed Aminul Haq, also decided to convene an in-camera meeting to thoroughly review the confidential Sale and Purchase Agreement between the Government of Pakistan and M/s Etisalat, after expressing strong displeasure over PTCL's refusal to share specific clauses of the deal. The Privatization Commission informed the committee that Clause 6 of the agreement restricts disclosure without mutual consent of both parties. The committee directed that representatives from the Ministry of IT, Ministry of Law and Justice, Privatization Commission, and M/s Etisalat be invited to the next meeting. Meanwhile, the Universal Service Fund (USF) briefed the committee that areas in district Tharparkar and Sargodha Division remain severely underserved in terms of internet and voice call access. Although fibre optic infrastructure exists, telecom services remain unavailable in many parts. The USF stated that specific projects for these regions have been approved and are at the final implementation stage. The committee instructed USF to submit a list of all such projects planned for execution over the next three to five years and directed PTA to ensure service delivery in those areas. On the issue of internet suspension in district Panjgur, the committee urged the Ministry of IT to coordinate with the Ministry of Interior, provincial authorities, and law enforcement agencies to devise a workable solution. The PTA was also instructed to maintain connectivity through the existing fibre optic infrastructure despite service disruptions. MNAs Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani, Sadiq Ali Memon, Ahmad Saleem Siddiqui, Pullain Baloch, Sher Ali Arbab, and Umair Khan Niazi, along with senior officials from the ministry and its attached departments, attended the meeting. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025