ISLAMABAD: The country’s IT sector has witnessed a huge growth in exports, which have increases by 35 per cent during the first eight months of current fiscal year and is expected to cross $500 million till June 2015.
This was revealed during the meeting of Board of Directors of Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB). Minister of State for IT Anusha Rahman presided over the meeting which reviewed the position of the IT industry and discussed measures to further boost growth of the industry. Netsol CEO and Chairman P@SHA represented the private sector.
The minister, declaring the current year as “the Year of IT”, said that PSEB should focus on capacity building of IT companies and international marketing of IT products to further strengthen the sector.
Anusha said that capacity enhancement of IT sector though public private partnership will certainly enhance the volume of IT exports. Initiation of CMMI certification program of PSEB will go a long way in improving the quality of IT companies and their products and services.
PSEB MD Asim Shahryar Husain said that the number of software houses and call centres registered with PSEB has increased by 12% during the first 8 months of 2014-15. He mentioned that PSEB had setup a Pakistan pavilion for the first time in the history of Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona where mobile apps companies of Pakistan demonstrated their expertise in design and development of mobile apps and games. Around 110 leads were generated from the event with an expected business value of $1 million.
He also mentioned that a Saudi group is exploring the option of acquiring different IT companies of Pakistan and then taking them public through IPOs. PSEB is their strategic partner and roadshows will be organised in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi in end of April for this purpose.
Anusha Rahman, directed PSEB to explore new incubation projects on the pattern of Google’s TechCity, etc. which could be financed through Saarc Development Fund. She further directed MD PSEB to concentrate on the CMMI certification project and that PSEB may train 5-6 auditors initially and then these auditors will audit and certify maturity level of IT companies with exports potential of $1 million a year or more.
