Govt eyes $4.5b IT exports

ISLAMABAD:

Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Thursday informed the National Assembly that Pakistan's IT exports were witnessing consistent growth due to government-led reforms, digital skills programmes and policy support aimed at strengthening the country's technology sector.

Responding to questions during the Question Hour, the minister said Pakistan's IT exports had been growing by around 20 percent annually over the last several years.

She informed the House that when the incumbent government assumed office, IT exports stood at around $2.4 billion, adding that the figure was expected to cross $4.5 billion during the current fiscal year.

The minister said the government had set a target of achieving $15 billion in IT exports along with an additional $10 billion contribution through digital transformation initiatives.

The minister said the IT sector remained the only export-oriented industry operating under a final tax regime, adding that companies registered with the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) were subject to only 0.5 percent tax on exports, while non-registered entities paid one percent tax.

Responding to supplementary questions regarding internet services, the minister said Pakistan's international connectivity had improved with the landing of three submarine cables in recent years.

She said fibre-optic connectivity across the country had expanded significantly, adding that fibre-based household connections had increased from 1.9 million in 2024 to 5.1 million within two years.

The minister said the government was strengthening the country's cybersecurity framework to address growing threat of digital fraud and cybercrime.