Pakistan

'Pakistani e-commerce expected to hit $1b by 2020'

The seminar organised by Pakistan, was attended by a large number of WTO members and ambassadors

APP December 10, 2016

DESIGN: NABEEL AHMED

ISLAMABAD: Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan on Saturday said e-commerce in Pakistan is expected to hit the $1 billion mark by 2020.

“Our legislature is working hard to update the rules and regulations governing digital trade,” he said while inaugurating a seminar on ‘E-commerce for Development’ in Geneva.

Dastgir wants businesses to support trade liberalisation

The seminar organised by Pakistan, was attended by a large number of World Trade Organisation (WTO) members and ambassadors. All heads of agencies greatly appreciated the initiative taken by Pakistan. It was coordinated by Dr Tauqir Shah, Pakistan’s Ambassador at WTO.

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Dastgir said commerce was an inescapable fact of life and had grown beyond our imagination. The digital economy, he said has emerged as an unstoppable giant that was growing at 10% a year, more than triple the rate of overall global economic growth.

“Digital is no longer just a part of the economy… it is becoming the economy. Internet contributes 8% of global GDP, The development of mobile broad band holds the promises to brings billions more on line, thus narrowing the digital, economic, physical and educational divide, The internet of things or internet of everything has the potential of contributing $11 Trillion to global GDP by 2025”.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th, 2016.

COMMENTS (3)

Shah | 7 years ago | Reply We have the literate youth in the area of IT & e-commerce which is our power, and every year we are producing more, weakness is there are no opportunities for them in the market. Minister sb. its a good initiative and we are happy that we have some literate Parliamentarians like you, atleast who knows what they need to do. But the thing is for secure and reliable e-commerce activity the background infrastructure support is mandatory. ICT activity in private sector is somehow grooming but unfortunately Government is still working on those old patterns I think e-Government is also mandatory. Sir, I request you to check Official Gateway of Pakistan, you will realize what i want to say.

Amin Lalani | 7 years ago | Reply Although there is potential of a billion dollar ecommerce economy but the enabling environment is missing. People at grassroot level are imposed and fine tax penalties, how a startup could start their business with no fear and guarantee that the office will open everyday, employee can commute securely and there will be all resources like light, internet, etc available to run the show. Its high time to act upon.

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