Business

Increase IT exports to $15b by 2026: PM

Directed HEC, universities to increase number of IT professionals

APP January 06, 2023

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that the country’s IT exports are not up to par, and directed the concerned authorities to take practical steps to enhance Pakistan’s IT exports from the current $2.6 billion to $15 billion within the next three years.

“Pakistan has a huge potential in the IT sector, which needs to be exploited. The IT industry stands alongside the government to improve the national economy,” said PM Shehbaz.

Chairing a meeting to discuss the promotion of the IT sector, the PM said the number of IT professionals need to be increased from 0.6 million to 1.5 million. Accordingly, he directed the Higher Education Commission, universities and training institutes to work on the said target on a priority basis, along with improving the educational curriculum in accordance with the market’s needs.

The PM also ordered the formation of a standing committee to deliberate over the linkages between the government and the IT industry, and to resolve issues being faced by the industry. The committee will comprise of representatives from the IT industry, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), finance ministry, IT ministry and other relevant departments.

Furthermore, PM Shehbaz urged the IT industry to bring its export revenue to Pakistan and instructed the SBP, Federal Board of Revenue and other departments to take effective measures in this connection. He also asked the relevant authorities to take effective measures to resolve the issues pertaining to IT sector.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2023.

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COMMENTS (1)

test | 1 year ago | Reply If our policies favor IT sector then that target seems achievable by 2026. We need to focus on the quality of IT exports in short IT services which means what we are offering to the world must be studied thoroughly and after studying and looking for the flaws in the IT policy we must rectify those flaws and make policies where tech industry thrives in our country. Also we need to improve the quality of our IT education and standards and equip the students with the latest concepts of the industry which has better scope in the market both business wise and job wise. The books in Pakistan are old concepts and IT is not exception. We are lagging behind the world in terms of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics. We need to produce innovators inventors and not some stupid bunch of job seekers or job suckers. We have engineers and scientists but they are not innovators or inventors and a lot of them are teaching in colleges universities or have opened their home tuitions or academies which also downgrade our already damaged education system. For God s sake someone has to take responsibility of what they speak they must achieve that. If Prime Minister is saying 15 billion IT exports by 2026 then it must be achieved by 2026 and not by 2027 by any mean it must be achieved by 2026 otherwise we didn t completed our duty on time for which there must be punishment. So I would say replace all the books and change staff at college and universities because we need new people with new mindset and new initiatives to run the education system. Say goodbye to all those old education system pals and retire them and bring in new talented people into the system to bring massive changes to education system on which a society and industry both survives.

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