Govt or Freelancers? Truth Behind Pakistan’s IT Boom
Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja, while addressing the recent Pak-Saudi Business Forum, said that digital and economic relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are being further strengthened.
According to her, Pakistan’s IT exports have increased by 28%, after which they have reached $ 1.86 billion.
She added that the ‘Digital Nation Act 2025’ will play an important role in bringing revolutionary change in Pakistan’s digital economy,
A Digital Foreign Direct Investment Forum will be held in Islamabad soon, in which global investors will participate.
Did government measures cause an increase in IT exports?
Experts say that the IT industry in Pakistan is progressing, but it would not be right to attribute this success only to government measures.
According to IT trainer Tahir Umar, various promises were made to freelancers, but in practice, not many facilities were provided for them.
He said, “There has been only talk of PayPal coming to Pakistan, but no practical steps have been taken in this regard to date.
In addition, the slow speed of the internet is a major challenge, which is creating difficulties for freelancers.”
Government initiatives: Facilities and shortcomings
Some positive developments have also been seen by the government. In Islamabad, the Ministry of Education and the Pakistan Software Export Board have jointly converted some college halls into ‘co-working spaces,’ where internet and other facilities are being provided for freelancers.
The Punjab IT Board has also introduced various courses for freelancers, including programs like “IT Salaam” and “She Wins.”
Courses like digital marketing, content creation, and e-commerce have been made available especially for women.
Freelancers: The real reason for success?
According to freelancer Zain Awan, the real reason for the increase in IT exports is not the government but the tireless work of IT professionals and freelancers themselves.
“The government has promised facilities, but important issues like PayPal have not been resolved even today.
The uncertainty of the internet and the difficulties in opening a bank account still exist, while there is also a dire need for world-class training programs.”
IT Ministry’s stance
According to Syeda Hafsa Ijaz, spokesperson for the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication, PayPal needs more time to become available in Pakistan,
However, freelancers registered with the Pakistan Software Export Board have to pay only 0.25 percent tax, while other freelancers have to pay 1 percent.
However, the spokesperson did not give a clear answer regarding the launch of PayPal in Pakistan, its progress, and the expected timeframe.
Conclusion
Although the government has taken some steps for the IT industry, freelancers and IT professionals believe that the real growth has come from their hard work and self-reliance. IT exports are growing in Pakistan,
but challenges like PayPal, internet issues, and lack of world-class training programs remain, which the government needs to seriously consider.
Truth Behind Pakistan’s IT Boom
