IT Ministry Has Set Up 43 Software Technology Parks So Far

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) has established 43 Software Technology Parks (STPs) across Pakistan through the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja informed the National Assembly. These STPs, located in tier-II and III cities, are hosting over 350 IT and IT-enabled Services (ITeS) companies and employing 18,000 professionals. Women constitute 20 percent of the workforce in these technology parks. The STPs contribute $100 million in foreign exchange earnings annually, while generating $15 million in domestic revenue. According to Minister Shaza Fatima, a state-of-the-art IT Park in Karachi, spanning 1.12 million square feet, is currently under development and is expected to be operational by 2027. The $186 million project aims to create 13,400 jobs and boost IT exports by $90 million. Another IT Park under construction in Islamabad, covering 720,000 square feet, is set to be completed in 2025. This $88.4 million initiative is expected to generate 7,500 employment opportunities and increase IT exports by $70 million. These infrastructure projects are part of the government’s broader strategy to enhance the country’s ICT ecosystem. The MoITT has also planned to establish 250 e-Rozgaar centers across Pakistan within the next three years under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) project “Prime Minister’s Initiatives—Support for Startups, Specialized IT Trainings, and Venture Capital.” These centers aim to support 25,000 freelancers and entrepreneurs, with a projected revenue increase of $18-20 million. As part of this initiative, 50 e-Rozgaar centers will become operational in the fiscal year 2024-25. According to Minister Shaza Fatima, Pakistan’s first-ever Women Technology Park is being developed in collaboration with the Women University in Bagh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and is scheduled to be operational by FY 2024-25. Additionally, PSEB is working with the Special Communications Organization (SCO) and the Gilgit-Baltistan government to establish an STP in the region. The government has also launched various programs in consultation with the ICT industry to enhance the capabilities of IT professionals and companies, as well as to facilitate international marketing and participation in global events. The country’s ICT sector has recorded significant growth, with export remittances rising by 32.7 percent to $1.53 billion in the first five months of FY 2024-25, compared to $1.15 billion in the same period last year. In November 2024 alone, ICT export remittances reached $324 million, marking a 25 percent increase from November 2023. The IT and ITeS industry achieved a trade surplus of $1.35 billion, a 36.5 percent rise from $989 million in the corresponding period of the previous year. In contrast, Pakistan’s overall services sector recorded a trade deficit of $1.148 billion during the same period.