ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information Technology Anusha Rehman said Information Technology industry exports have registered a 98 % growth over the past four years.
“The performance of Pakistan’s IT sector can be gauged from the fact that IT industry exports have registered a 98 % growth over the past four years resulting in substantial contribution to Pakistan’s economy through foreign exchange earnings and job creation” she said while chaired the 36th meeting of the Board of Directors of Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) here on Monday.
The meeting was convened to review the progress on different IT initiatives being carried out by PSEB including Prime Minister’s Internship Programme and Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI). The minister said that due recognition must be extended to government’s freelancers efforts bringing Pakistan on the 4th spot on the largest freelancing website in the world. She said that it is the goal of the present government to achieve at least $5 billion in export earnings by 2020 and $10 billion by 2025.
The Minister said that Pakistan is blessed with highly talented youth and the government is attempting to provide them with best possible opportunities. During the last four years, PSEB in partnership with National ICT Research and Development Fund(IGNITE) has placed more than 1700 IT graduates as interns for practical training in not only IT companies but also in IT departments of Banks, Telcos/CMOs and Universities.
“It is a matter of great pleasure to note that, more than 60% of these interns were offered jobs after completion of their respective training tenure” she said. Acting MD PSEB Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah apprised the Board regarding key milestones which PSEB has completed over the last four years.
The Board was informed that PSEB has exhibited at eleven international trade fairs along with more than 65 IT companies generating more than two thousand leads. Exhibiting at the trade fairs also help improve perception of Pakistan as a viable destination for outsourcing and investment as Pakistan’s exports to all the countries in which PSEB participated in the exhibitions have increased.
With active PSEB technical and financial assistance, more than 30 selected IT professionals and 28 IT companies had received certifications in Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI). Federal Secretary IT Rizwan Bashir Khan, acting MD PSEB Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah and other board members were also present in the meeting.