Islamabad, May 17, 2025 – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has highlighted the pivotal role of Pakistan’s growing mobile ecosystem, which is currently contributing an impressive $16.7 billion to the national economy.
In his message on World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2025, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fostering a robust and inclusive digital ecosystem. He emphasized that this transformation is designed to empower all citizens—particularly women—and ensure that no one is left behind in the digital era.
“The government is striving to build a gender-responsive digital ecosystem through targeted policies, skills development initiatives, and the creation of inclusive, gender-sensitive digital infrastructure,” Sharif said. “We want women and girls across the country to actively participate in and benefit from the ongoing digital revolution.”
Congratulating the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for its continued leadership in global digital development, Sharif noted that this year’s theme—Why Gender Equality in Digital Transformation Matters—serves as a timely and urgent call to action. He pointed out that Pakistan is making substantial progress in reducing the gender digital divide.
“In 2024-25, 8 million additional women gained access to mobile internet services,” Sharif stated. “This achievement led to a remarkable reduction in the gender gap—from 38% to 25%—representing the highest rate of improvement worldwide. Rural women played a central role in this success.”
Sharif outlined further milestones in Pakistan’s digital journey. The country has now surpassed 200 million telecom subscriptions, 150 million broadband users, and 2 million FTTH (fiber to the home) connections. Moreover, mobile manufacturing in Pakistan saw a substantial growth rate of 47.46%, while international connectivity has expanded through advanced high-capacity submarine cables.
“These accomplishments reflect our broader digital transformation strategy and our ambition to build a future-ready digital ecosystem,” said Sharif. “As we celebrate this day, I urge all stakeholders to champion inclusive policies and to work collectively in building an equitable and empowered digital Pakistan.”
With the mobile sector at the heart of this transformation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated his resolve to continue steering the nation towards a future where technological progress benefits all segments of society.