ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday praised the Ministry of Information Technology for achieving the previous year’s IT export target of $3.8 billion. He directed the formulation of a comprehensive action plan to surpass the $30 billion target in the coming years.
Chairing a meeting to review the initiatives of the National Information Technology Board (NITB) and the Ministry of Information Technology, the Prime Minister emphasized that the government was working to advance the economy through digitization, aligning it with modern requirements. He called for the restructuring of NITB and the recruitment of top talent to help achieve these targets.
Sharif also lauded the establishment of centers aimed at making youth, especially women, self-reliant in the IT sector, noting that thousands were securing employment through the Digital Youth Hub. He highlighted the success of e-Office in achieving paperless governance, which had led to significant savings in both time and resources.
In the meeting, the Ministry of Information Technology reported a 19% growth in Pakistan’s IT sector exports for FY 2025, surpassing the $3.8 billion target. The number of freelancers in Pakistan had increased by 91%, and several initiatives were underway to foster growth. Under the National Incubation Center, 386 startups were supported, 14 of which reached the global stage. Additionally, 40 e-employment centers were established in 26 cities.
The prime minister was also informed that 315,000 students, including 115,000 women, received professional IT training. Efforts to empower women in IT included 130 women-led startups, and dedicated training centers were set up across the country. Additionally, 2,200 federal government employees were trained, and 3,000 students participated in cybersecurity training.
Tax collection through Pak-App had reached Rs. 6.2 billion, while e-Office implementation was nearly complete in federal government offices, with 98% progress. The telecom sector also made strides, surpassing the target of providing 4G access to over 580,000 people. Telecom connections exceeded 200 million, with a 24% increase in internet usage in the last financial year.
Regarding NITB’s restructuring, work on creating a modern system aligned with contemporary needs was in its final stages. The Board is involved in more than 179 websites, 31 mobile apps, 113 portals, and 57 consultancy projects. The restructuring aims to enhance user experience, governance, cybersecurity, and workforce capacity.
The meeting was attended by federal ministers Ahad Khan Cheema, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Prime Minister’s Coordinator Musharraf Zaidi, and other senior officials.
