Information technology has a central enabling role in the emerging dynamics of a knowledge society. It is a crucial driver of the country’s economic development. Pakistan’s Information Technology (IT) sector has gained immense importance due to its significant contribution to the economy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when economies worldwide shut down, only the IT industry has shown a sustainable growth rate due to the use of digital technologies by individuals and businesses working from home. It is also ranked number four for freelance development in the world.
Currently, digital growth in Pakistan is going through a rapid evolution. The IT sector is one of the fastest-growing sectors of Pakistan, contributing about 1% to the country’s GDP at about 3.5 billion USD. In the past four years, its share has doubled, and experts expect that it will grow a further 100% in the next two to four years to $7 billion. According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Pakistan’s software exports are currently worth $700 million.
The Government of Pakistan is very enthusiastic about the advancement and development of the IT industry. Recently, an agreement was signed between Pakistan and Korea for Rs10bn to establish a technology park in Islamabad. Furthermore, the development of tech SEZs has been seen as a critical enabler in all countries where growth occurs. Tech Special Zones have been included in the PM’s Package to help IT companies bring business and investment to Pakistan. To Pakistan Vision 2025 and the Digital policy of Pakistan 2018, the ICT industry size is targeted to reach $20 billion by 2025.
To further boost the IT sector, the government has invested $1 billion to offer capacity-building programs to IT professionals. It includes management trainee programmes, boot camps, short courses and certifications to prepare a workforce that could contribute to the export target of $5 billion set by the current government for FY 2022-23. These programmes will provide an upward trajectory to the IT graduates and cater to the human resources demand of the tech industry at the local and international levels.
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