Telecom

Pakistan Aims to Boost IT Exports by $150 Million with New Tech Parks and Infrastructure Projects

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) is set to generate over $150 million in additional IT exports annually while creating more than 40,000 new jobs. This growth comes from ongoing technology infrastructure projects, including major IT parks in Islamabad and Karachi, and the rollout of 50 Software Technology Parks (STPs) across the country.

Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja shared that the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) has already developed 50 STPs spanning 1.9 million sq. ft., housing over 350 IT companies and employing 18,000 professionals nationwide.

Recently, 25 new STPs were completed in over 20 cities, including emerging hubs in Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The initiative prioritizes regional inclusion and gender diversity, with women making up nearly 20 percent of professionals in these parks.

In a landmark step, Pakistan established its first women-only Software Technology Park at Women’s University, Bagh (AJK), in collaboration with the Special Communication Organization. Covering 5,000 sq. ft., the park offers advanced ICT facilities to women entrepreneurs, freelancers, and startups.

Meanwhile, the IT Park Islamabad and IT Park Karachi projects are under construction. The Islamabad facility is expected to create 7,500 jobs and contribute $60 million in annual exports. Karachi’s park will host over 220 ICT companies, generating 13,400 jobs and $90 million in yearly exports once complete.

Under the Prime Minister’s Initiative for IT Startups, Specialized IT Training, and Venture Capital, the government plans to open 250 co-working spaces nationwide by 2027. Already, more than 40 spaces support freelancers and digital entrepreneurs, targeting 25,000 new jobs in the sector.