ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to boost its information technology (IT) exports to $25 billion within the next three years and launch 5G Internet services.
Talking to a delegation of VEON, an Amsterdam-based multinational telecommunication and digital services company, Shehbaz Sharif said that 5G internet services in Pakistan will play a crucial role in achieving the vision of a Digital Pakistan, and would be instrumental in promoting a cashless, digital economy.
“We are determined to achieve the target of increasing IT exports from Pakistan to 25 billion dollars in the next three years,” Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement released from the Prime Minister’s office.. “Steps are being taken to introduce 5G Internet services for faster and reliable Internet services in Pakistan.”
He also praised the contributions of Jazz Group, a VEON subsidiary, and expressed his government’s commitment to advancing IT, digitization, and artificial intelligence (AI) within the country.
The VEON delegation commended the Pakistani government’s efforts to stabilize the economy and highlighted Pakistan as a key destination for investment in the IT sector, according to Sharif’s office.
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In June, Pakistan’s IT exports reached $298 million, reflecting a 33 percent increase compared to the same month the previous year. For the fiscal year ending in June, overall IT exports totalled $3.2 billion, up 24 percent from the previous year’s figure of $2.5 billion.
Pakistan has also sought to strengthen its IT sector by facilitating collaborations with international firms, particularly from Saudi Arabia, China, and Qatar, in a bid to increase exports.
