Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunications, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, expressed optimism on Monday that Pakistan’s IT exports will exceed the $3 billion mark this year.
Addressing the National Assembly, she outlined ambitious targets, projecting IT exports to reach $25 billion within the next five years, aligning with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the IT sector during Prime Minister Shehbaz’s international engagements, Khawaja noted significant developments. She announced a pivotal agreement with Huawei of China to transform Islamabad into a smart city, with plans to expand the Safe City project nationwide.
Under this initiative, 300,000 youths are set to undergo specialised training starting next month, in collaboration with global tech giants such as Google and Microsoft, aiming to certify 1.5 million IT professionals over the next five years.
Khawaja also underscored the expansion of the DigiSkills program and plans to establish a Centre for Excellence for Gaming, aimed at fostering the local gaming industry and creating a conducive startup environment.
On the legislative front, she highlighted key initiatives including Pakistan’s first Cyber Emergency Policy, draft National Artificial Intelligence policy, and the Personal Data Protection Bill. Additionally, efforts are underway towards a National Semiconductor policy, underscoring Pakistan’s commitment to digital transformation.
The Minister further elaborated on Pakistan’s National Digitisation plan, encompassing Digital Economy, Governance, and Society. Recently, a high-level delegation from Google met with Khawaja to discuss enhancing technology’s role in education, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the digital economy.
The delegation included Andrew Ure, Kyle Gardener, and Farhan Qureshi, reaffirming Google’s commitment to advancing Pakistan’s digital landscape.
