Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has issued directives to devise a comprehensive roadmap aimed at bolstering Pakistan’s Information Technology (IT) exports. During a meeting on IT and Telecom sector held in Islamabad on Tuesday, he outlined a vision to fully harness the IT sector’s potential, emphasizing the importance of education, skills development in IT for the youth, and support for start-ups.

According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Prime Minister highlighted the successes of IT industry initiatives launched by the previous administration, noting their positive impact and the resolution of banking issues for startups, freelancers, and IT companies. With IT exports expected to surpass three billion dollars this year, Prime Minister Sharif stressed the need for further growth in this sector.

The meeting also touched upon the creation and submission of a detailed report on Special Technology Zones, with Sharif calling for efforts to elevate Pakistan’s IT sector to international standards. The attendees were briefed on the progress of a five billion dollar IT package announced by the Prime Minister last June, which has led to a thirteen percent increase in IT sector exports in the first seven months of this year compared to the previous year.

Significant achievements in the field were shared, including the Digi-Skills program, which has provided IT training to approximately four million students across seventeen batches, making Pakistan the second-largest country in terms of freelancers. Pakistani IT products are now exported to 170 countries, and the startup sector witnessed an investment of four hundred million dollars last year.

Prime Minister Sharif urged the implementation of all necessary legal and policy measures to attract more investment in the IT sector and boost exports. He called for the acceleration of projects related to the professional and technical training of youth, aiming to maximize the IT sector’s potential for economic growth and development.