Pakistan’s IT services exports increased by 2.7 times since 2014, making up 35% of all service-sector exports in 2023, a recent report stated.
The report, titled “Agay Barho: Empowering Pakistan’s Digital Economy,” was unveiled at an event attended by the Prime Minister and the IT Minister on Thursday.
Part of Google’s “Agay Barho” initiative, the report highlighted Pakistan’s significant potential to boost its digital export share by developing new digital solutions, reducing costs for accessing international markets, and streamlining export processes.
It also suggested that mobile applications, online video services, and cross-border e-commerce could have contributed an additional Rs1.8 trillion to Pakistan’s annual export value by 2030.
The report stated that digital technologies, especially artificial intelligence, are significantly accelerating exports by generating new opportunities and facilitating access to international markets.
At the event, Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja highlighted the immense potential for digital exports to transform the economy and emphasized the need for collaboration between the public and private sectors.
She also called for “non-conventional modes” to fully leverage Pakistan’s digital economy.
The minister praised Google for providing over 960,000 jobs to Pakistani youth in 2023.
She stated, “The success of Google’s initiatives is a testament to the country’s potential in the digital world and Google’s commitment to upskilling and uplifting the youth.”
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Farhan Qureshi, Google Pakistan’s country director, noted that initiatives like Google Career Certificates and Google Developer programs helped individuals and businesses utilize the full potential of AI.
Qureshi mentioned that Google’s AI-powered tools contributed Rs3.9 trillion to the Pakistani economy, adding that the global tech giant aimed to produce 500,000 Chromebooks in Pakistan.
