ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information Technology Anusha Rahman Tuesday directed the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) to focus on marketing of Information Technology startups in order to increase IT exports which is expected to exceed $5 billion before 2020.
The minister, addressing a two-day PSEB workshop for IT Startups and Entrepreneurs, said that the PSEB needs to support and promote Pakistan’s IT industry aggressively over the next five years to achieve targets. She mentioned that reporting of IT exports by companies needs to be improved because State Bank of Pakistan’s remittance figures are much below than actual exports of IT industry.
This, she said, hurts perception of size of Pakistan’s IT, industry abroad with foreign customers and hence, IT companies need to improve their reporting to PSEB and State Bank if they want the country to be taken seriously as a major player in global IT market.
She said this workshop would help young IT entrepreneurs to assess state of the IT industry of Pakistan and to evaluate steps being taken to bolster long term growth of industry, to boost IT exports and to attract investment in IT sector.
Managing Director, PSEB, Asim Shahryar and representatives of MoIT and private sector were also present. She also mentioned about construction of a new state-of-the-art IT Park in Islamabad for which Korean Exim bank will finance.
Now the feasibility study has been completed, she said and hoped the Park would be ready by June next year. The Park will create new jobs as well as boost IT exports.
Anusha Rahman also mentioned Tech-City incubation project and special project for establishment of computer labs in 12 Baitul Maal Sweet Homes orphanages for facilitating underprivileged children.
Considering women and young girls a very important segment of society, she said another special project to use ICTs to empower young girls has been approved which focuses on computer literacy and computer programming ICT skills to be imparted to young girls in un-served and underserved areas for which Computer Labs will be established in Women Empowerment Centers run by Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal.
The training content will be prepared in collaboration with Virtual University. In his presentation, MD PSEB said Pakistani IT companies have won gold and silver awards at many international events and are providing services to a large number of Fortune 500 clients.
At present, he said, there are more than 2000 IT companies and well over 500 call centers in Pakistan. Pakistan has more than 200,000 English-speaking IT professionals at present who are skilled in latest IT tools and technologies.
The MD said PSEB has been facilitating IT industry through a series of projects and programs such as research studies, software technology parks, subsidized bandwidth, international marketing, international certifications, internships and trainings. Because of the up to 70% savings on annual operating costs when compared with North America and Europe, Pakistan’s IT Industry offers tremendous opportunities for both out-sourcing and investment to foreign and local investors.
Moreover, he said that 60% of the 400 interns placed by PSEB last year have been hired by their respective employers. A documentary showing IT potential in Pakistan was also shown on the occasion.
