Pakistan’s IT Ministry is revving up efforts to boost the industry’s contribution to the national economy. With an eye on increasing IT exports in the next fiscal year, the Ministry has begun consultations with key stakeholders.
Officials are working with the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), the industry’s representative body, to gather insights and recommendations for boosting export figures. Minister of State, Shiza Fatima, has also formed a ten-member advisory committee of IT experts to develop strategies for export growth.
The committee’s recommendations, along with those from P@SHA, will be submitted to the Ministry of Finance for inclusion in the upcoming budget. The goal is to create a collaborative effort that leads to impactful policies for the IT and Telecommunications sectors.
The Ministry also plans to involve the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in refining export strategies. The SIFC’s expertise will be used to create an action plan that fosters growth and competitiveness in the IT industry.
The Ministry points to recent data from the State Bank showing a significant $257 million increase in IT exports for February 2024, which they attribute to the SIFC’s initiatives. Buoyed by this progress, the Ministry believes sustained policy measures could push IT revenue to a range of $3 billion to $4 billion in the coming fiscal year.
