Government Set on Reaching $50 Billion in IT Exports Through Human Capital Development and Business Reforms, Says Shaza Fatima
LAHORE: Federal Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja announced that the government’s foremost strategic target is to raise the IT exports of Pakistan to $50 billion.
Shaza Fatima emphasized at a private university in Lahore that $1 billion can be directly infused into the national economy by training one lakh (100,000) skilled IT professionals, reiterating that development of human resources is a priority of the administration.
Assessing and bridging the skills gap and enhancing global perception.
The federal minister stated that the government was putting efforts to support the export growth of the IT sector in cooperation with the industry, and emphasized the need to improve the exportability of Pakistan and its image in the international business market.
While recognising the issues, Shaza Fatima noted that Pakistan has a scarcity of skilled human resources in technology industry. She emphasized that the process of training and capacity building should start at elementary school and follow them all the way through the university level and the government is now conducting large-scale training and capacity building programs.
Positive Business Environment and Ease of Doing Business
The minister highlighted that the IT industry is very dynamic and mobile, and hence the need for a conducive environment for the ease of doing business and seamless financial transactions.
The fact that a tech company can be incorporated within minutes in Dubai or Singapore, in her words, is essential for Pakistan to be able to attract both foreign and local investments in IT, she added, highlighting the importance of a business-friendly environment and supportive regulations in the city.