LAHORE: Pakistan aims to raise its Information Technology (IT) exports to $30 billion as part of a broader $100 billion export plan outlined in the Planning Commission's blueprint, following directives from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The Country Planning Commission initially outlined the blueprint for the goal. However, it came under the spotlight following PM Sharif's directives to draw up a dedicated roadmap.

Presently, IT exports stand at around $3.8 billion, underlining both the scale of the challenge and the scope of opportunity.

Industry leaders believe the $30 billion mark is achievable but warn it depends on policy stability, infrastructure reliability, and sustained investment in talent.

“The dream is a possibility,” the Chief Executive Officer of NetSol Technologies, Salim Ghauri, said while speaking to Pakistan TV Digital.

Ghauri emphasized the importance of training in artificial intelligence (AI), noting that his company has already introduced AI courses.

Drawing on his book “Impossible is Nothing”, he recalled NetSol’s rise from a small team three decades ago to a global firm. “If we could do that, then imagine what Pakistan can do now,” he said.

Agha Abdul Rehman, Project Director at the National Incubation Center Lahore, speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, echoed the optimism while citing comparative data.

Referring to a study by the global venture capital firm Antler, Rehman noted that Indonesia’s tech sector expanded 27 times between 2014 and 2021.

“If our ecosystem is similar, achieving nine-times growth and reaching $30 billion is not impossible,” he said. However, Rehman cautioned that geopolitical uncertainties, inconsistent policymaking, and the trend of startups incorporating offshore remain significant hurdles.

For IT entrepreneur Kanwal Cheema, Pakistan’s youth bulge is its biggest advantage.

“We are the sixth youngest population in the world,” she said, adding that existing training programs and Pakistan’s low-cost base compared to India could help the country compete globally.

Cheema stressed, however, that political will is decisive, citing Bangladesh’s rapid IT export growth, which was achieved within six years after it was made a prime-ministerial priority.

“If Pakistan does the same, $30 billion is not difficult,” Cheema said.

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From blueprint to reality: Can Pakistan’s IT industry hit $30 billion?