PM Reviews Progress on IT Strategic Roadmap, Lauds 21pc Growth in IT Exports

Islamabad — Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday chaired a review meeting on the national Information Technology (IT) Strategic Roadmap, praising the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication for delivering a 21 percent year-on-year increase in IT exports to $4.6 billion. He credited the growth to targeted government policies aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s digital economy and reaffirmed that boosting the IT sector and technology-related exports remains a top national priority.

The Prime Minister directed authorities to institute credible, independent third-party validation for all IT training programmes, stressing that quality standards must not be compromised. He also instructed officials to accelerate upgrades to digital infrastructure across the country to support faster, more reliable connectivity and continued industry growth.

Key progress and indicators

• Mobile spectrum availability expanded from 274 MHz in June 2025 to 880 MHz by June 2026, a major step expected to significantly enhance internet speeds and nationwide connectivity.
• The Software Technology Park in Bagh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has been completed, adding capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Smartphone penetration rose from 62 percent in 2024 to 72 percent by June 2026, reflecting broader digital adoption.
• Fixed broadband and fibre connections reached 5.1 million households by June 2026.
• Freelancers contributed $1.1647 billion to IT exports in the last fiscal year, underscoring the strength of Pakistan’s talent pool in the global digital economy.

Digital services and skills pipeline

Under the Digital Nation Pakistan initiative, 130 government services have been digitized, improving accessibility and efficiency for citizens and businesses. During the last fiscal year, 942,646 training certificates were issued in the IT sector, including 5,053 high-end training programmes and 2,700 leadership and soft skills sessions. The Prime Minister emphasized that all such training must undergo rigorous third-party validation to ensure relevance and excellence.

Women, startups, and innovation

The Women Innovation and Startup Empowerment Lab is set to be inaugurated soon, expanding opportunities for women entrepreneurs and innovators in technology and related fields.

AI adoption across government

Officials briefed the meeting on AI projects and training being implemented across multiple ministries and public bodies under a Memorandum of Understanding with a leading global technology company. Current initiatives are underway at the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Ministry of Railways, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), Ministry of National Food Security, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), Pakistan Single Window, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), Pakistan Post, Capital Development Authority (CDA), Ministry of Maritime Affairs, and the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

Roadmap and future outlook

The meeting reviewed preparations for the launch of the “Connect Pakistan Vision 2030,” which aims to align infrastructure development, skills training, and export acceleration with long-term digital goals. The Prime Minister reiterated that the government will continue to back initiatives that broaden high-speed connectivity, support digital entrepreneurship, and create quality jobs, while maintaining strict quality assurance in training and service delivery.

Participants

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar; Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema; Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja; Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui; Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani; Governor State Bank of Pakistan Jameel Ahmad; and senior government officials.

Concluding the session, the Prime Minister commended the ministry’s performance and called for sustained momentum to translate digital gains into inclusive economic growth, increased exports, and improved public services.