The ICT Ministry on Friday presented a comprehensive action plan to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif aimed at boosting the country’s IT exports to $25 billion over the next five years.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who set an ambitious target for the IT Ministry, chaired a review meeting where he appreciated the proposed action plan and directed its timely implementation, according to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The action plan identified reforms in various IT-related sectors and measures needed to address the challenges facing the industry.
The Prime Minister stressed that Pakistan has an abundance of skilled manpower and resources. He noted that effective use of these resources and enhancing workforce skills could push IT exports beyond the $25 billion target.
He instructed the relevant departments to work collaboratively to confront the challenges hindering IT sector reforms and assured the participants that he would personally supervise the implementation process.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has been directed to formulate an action plan to provide education and skills training in accordance with international standards to the youth.
The Prime Minister also called for the implementation of proposals to meet the growing demand in the Gulf countries for IT professionals and assigned the Ministry of Information Technology to set goals and timelines for export growth. He also directed the formation of a committee to monitor the implementation of reforms and facilitate cooperation between departments.
During the press conference, it was emphasized that prioritizing the IT sector has led to a 34% increase in IT exports over the past four months. Pakistan’s global IT ranking improved from 79th to 40th, while its e-governance ranking rose by 14 points, and 2,500 new IT companies were registered.
Over the next five years, specific targets include $15 billion in information technology exports, $10 billion in digitalization, and $1 billion in telecommunications exports.
The meeting was also briefed on the labor management system that focuses on building workforce capabilities through cooperation with educational institutions using industry demand data.
The Ministry of Information Technology presented a project aimed at facilitating remittances for freelancers and youth. The Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for these efforts, especially the measures related to international patent portals, and directed their immediate implementation.
The Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction with the action plan and praised the Minister of Information Technology and her team for their work.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister of Economy Ahd Khan Cheema, Minister of State for Information Technology Shatha Fatima Khawaja and senior government officials.