ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly was informed today that information technology exports from Pakistan are projected to exceed $4.5 billion during the current fiscal year. This announcement was made by Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima during the Question Hour, highlighting a significant 20 percent increase in IT exports.

According to Radio Pakistan, Minister Fatima emphasized the pivotal growth in IT exports, stating that the country has successfully doubled its exports in this sector over the past few years. She also detailed ongoing initiatives aimed at human resource development within the IT industry. Furthermore, the minister pointed out recent advancements in telecommunications infrastructure, noting that 4G services are set to improve, with 5G becoming available in Islamabad and the provincial capitals in the coming months.

In other parliamentary discussions, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry informed the assembly about the installation of a modern system by the National Disaster Management Authority for timely weather forecasting, which is shared with provincial authorities to mitigate losses from extreme weather.

Additionally, Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Net Syed Imran Ahmad Shah reported that the Benazir Income Support Program is currently assisting over ten million families financially.

During the session, two legislative bills were introduced: The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2026, and The Sea Carriage Shipping Documents Bill, 2026. Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry also addressed concerns regarding the deportation of Pakistanis from the UAE, affirming the strong bilateral relations between the two countries and highlighting record remittances received from Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

In response to a Calling Attention Notice, Parliamentary Secretary for Petroleum Division Mian Khan Bugti stated that there is currently no GST on petroleum products, and the government is providing subsidies to motorcyclists to alleviate the financial burden of petrol costs.

The assembly session is scheduled to resume tomorrow at 11 a.m.