Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved an action plan presented by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication to boost Pakistan’s IT exports to $25 billion over the next five years. During a review meeting on Friday, Shehbaz, who had previously set this ambitious target, praised the comprehensive action plan and emphasized the importance of its implementation.
Shehbaz stressed that Pakistan has abundant skilled manpower, and with effective resource utilization and focused skill development, the IT export target can be exceeded. He called for collaborative efforts across all relevant departments and assured that he would personally monitor the progress of the reforms.
In his address, Shehbaz directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to devise a strategy that aligns with international standards of education and skill training. This will ensure that Pakistan’s youth is equipped to meet the demands of the global IT market. He also called on the IT ministry to set specific targets and timelines and form a committee to ensure the reforms’ successful implementation.
Shehbaz was informed that the government’s focus on prioritizing the IT sector had already led to a 34% increase in IT exports over the last four months. The country’s global IT ranking had improved significantly, moving from 79th to 40th, and the e-governance ranking had risen by 14 points. Additionally, 2,500 new IT companies had been registered in Pakistan.
Looking ahead, Shehbaz was briefed that the government aims to achieve $15 billion in IT exports, $10 billion in digitization, and $1 billion in telecom exports over the next five years. The meeting also discussed the Labor Management System, designed to enhance workforce capacity by collaborating with educational institutions to meet the IT sector’s needs.
Furthermore, the IT ministry presented proposals to support freelancers, particularly the youth, in accessing remittances and utilizing international patent gateways. Shehbaz approved these measures and called for their immediate execution.
Shehbaz expressed satisfaction with the action plan and commended the efforts of IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and her team. Federal Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema and other senior officials were also present at the meeting.
