Pakistan’s IT exports set to reach $4.6bn this year as domestic internet connections triple, PM told 

Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that strengthening the information technology sector and boosting IT-related exports remain among top priorities of the government.

He made these remarks while presiding over a review meeting in Islamabad, where he emphasized that Pakistan’s young population holds significant talent in the field of IT and that this potential must be effectively utilized for national development.

During the meeting, PM Shehbaz also directed officials to speed up the development of “Asaan Khidmat Marakaz” in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), while stressing that similar facilitation centres should be introduced in all provinces through close coordination with regional governments.

Officials briefed the meeting that the number of household internet connections across the country has risen sharply, increasing from 1.9 million in 2024 to 5.10 million in the current year.

"Besides, the “Indus AI Week” was organized in February 2025 to promote Artificial Intelligence, featuring events across 30 cities, participated by over 100 international delegates, and featuring 88 pavilions," the meeting was told.

It was further informed that Pakistan’s IT exports are projected to reach between $4.5 and $4.6 billion during the ongoing fiscal year.

The meeting was also briefed that fibre optic connectivity has already been extended to government schools and health centres in Islamabad, while the project to provide free public internet hotspots in the capital is now in its final stages of completion.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Ahad Khan Cheema, and Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani, and other high-ranking government officials.