ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday celebrated a 23 per cent surge in the country’s Information Technology (IT) exports, which now stand at $2.828 billion for the first nine months of the current fiscal year.
Without acknowledging the mounting concerns of an increasingly disgruntled IT industry – where startups are openly threatening to relocate abroad due to what they see as stifling government policies – Sharif took to the podium to trumpet the sector’s gains.
He attributed the “impressive” export boost to the savvy entrepreneurial spirit of Pakistan’s IT professionals, who, despite the challenges, have managed to expand their reach not just in traditional markets, but into fresh, untapped territories.
$25bn IT exports target: PM directs authorities to boost the IT base
The country, already drawing the ire of the IT industry – particularly after the controversial installation of a multi-billion rupees’ firewall – saw the prime minister attempt to put a positive spin on matters.
He hailed the fact that IT sector entrepreneurs had managed to leverage government policies to not only secure their foothold in traditional markets but also expand into new, unexplored territories.
A high-spirited prime minister, in a statement that could almost be described as a victory lap, declared, “The 23 per cent uptick is a testament to both the government’s timely interventions and the relentless drive of our IT pioneers.”
“We are taking concrete steps to upskill our workforce and fuel the growth of IT exports,” he continued, painting a rosy picture of a future where the country’s digital footprint stretches far beyond its current confines.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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