ISLAMABAD, Nov 24 (NNN-APP) – Pakistan unveiled its first-ever information technology (IT) export strategy yesterday, with the aim to increase the country’s IT exports up to 10 billion U.S. dollars, in the next three years.
Addressing a ceremony, after unveiling the strategy here, Minister for IT and Telecommunication, Umar Saif, said, information and communications technology is vital for stabilising and strengthening Pakistan’s economy.
Talking about the IT strategy, the minister said, it focuses on the vision to prioritise human resource development, capacity building, implementation of a freelancers’ facilitation programme, startup funding initiative, and nurturing of a resilient IT ecosystem.
The country’s IT exports currently stand at 2.6 billion U.S. dollars, and the government would add another 200,000 skilled people to the existing IT workforce, which is expected to increase exports to five billion U.S. dollars, next year.
“There is a substantial opportunity for Pakistan to grow its IT export revenues to, 10 to 18 billion U.S. dollars by 2028, for making the country a global IT hub, with a commensurate increase in the domestic industry to over six billion U.S. dollars annually,” said the minister.
The rapid increase of activity, capacity and capability of the IT sector will have spin-off benefits for associated industries, and the economy at large, he added.– NNN-APP
