On May 18, the Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said that Pakistan has made significant strides in digital development and economic recovery under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.
Speaking to the media, she announced that Pakistan has crossed 200 million mobile subscribers, which she said “shows strong progress toward digital inclusion”. She highlighted that in 2024, eight million women began using mobile internet for the first time, adding to a total of 13 million new users overall. She credited this achievement to the government’s Gender Digital Divide Policy, which she said played a crucial role in narrowing the mobile internet usage gap between men and women from 38% to 25%.
Khawaja said that Pakistan has transitioned from the “brink of economic collapse to a trajectory of sustainable growth and digital transformation” under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. Speaking to the media she said that just over two years ago, Pakistan faced serious economic challenges, including fears of default, falling exports, and low investment. However, strong government efforts helped improve the overall economic condition.
Sharing updates on the IT sector, she shared that Pakistan’s IT exports — including earnings from freelancers and IT companies — reached over $3.5 billion between July 2024 and April 2025. Of this, $3.14 billion came from IT services alone in the first 10 months of the fiscal year.”
She said, “Pakistan is moving steadily towards the vision of a ‘Digital Pakistan,’ where technology supports the economy and ensures inclusive growth.” She added, “Our IT sector’s trade surplus is the highest among all service sectors, at around $2.3 billion.”
She said despite global challenges like reduced demand and trade barriers, Pakistan’s IT sector has remained strong and growing. She credited this to a better economic environment and the Prime Minister’s coordinated policies, particularly through platforms like the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), which boosted investor confidence.
She said a major achievement was the country’s first Digital FDI Forum, organized with the support of the Saudi-based Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO). The event drew over 500 participants, including 100 international investors, global tech CEOs, development leaders, and government officials. Over 100 Pakistani IT companies presented their products and proposals.
The event concluded with signed investment agreements worth $700 million, not just MoUs. “These investments will benefit the entire economy in the coming years,” she said.
She thanked key government bodies and industry leaders, especially P@SHA Chairman Sajjad Syed, for supporting the successful forum, highlighting the $700 million investment as proof of strong public-private partnership. The minister also praised initiatives by SIFC, PTA, PSEB, Ignite R&D Fund, and USF for connecting over one million people in remote areas, noting that internet usage grew by over 25 percent and two new submarine cable projects are in progress.
“These steps are building a connected and digital Pakistan, where every citizen will have a digital ID and can access government services through mobile phones — without needing to stand in long queues,” she said.
She also praised Pakistan’s technological capabilities demonstrated during defense operations, saying the country had proven its strength to the world. “Through courage, unity, and leadership, we’ve secured both our economy and our national defense,” she said.
