Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday inaugurated the E-Commerce Portal to promote and facilitate free lancers and e-business in Pakistan.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony in Islamabad, the premier announced a zero tax regime for registered free lancers in Pakistan.
PM Imran urged the youth to take benefit of government incentivized policies in the Information Technology (IT) sector.
“This is the technology revolution. The youth should in no way miss it. We expect the country’s IT exports to reach $50 billion in a few years,” he said.
The prime minister said that the the government is determined to remove all barriers in the way of e-commerce.
Appreciating efforts of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for polio eradication in Pakistan, Imran Khan said he always wanted Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's co-chair Bill Gates to invest in the IT sector of Pakistan and in this regard good news will soon be announced.
"The government is working on emergency basis for the promotion of IT sector as Pakistan's future is linked with it," the premier said, adding that different training and crash courses have been started to educate the youth in e-commerce.
In his address, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin the prime minister always emphasized the digital economy knowing the fact that the world going towards the very course.
He said using the technology, the people could now open their accounts, make transactions, buy houses and cars while sitting at one place.
The finance minister said Pakistan also wanted to move side by side the world which required the upgradation of internet services.
He told the gathering that while awarding 5G spectrum license, the government would prioritize quality services, not revenue.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on E-Commerce Aon Abbas Buppi said in 2021, Pakistan’s e-commerce market volume was $4 billion while the volume of global e-commerce market was estimated at around $30 trillion.
He said through first e-commerce policy, the government e-commerce as trade and also enhanced freelance payments from $5,000 to 25,000.
Buppi told the gathering that there were around 1 million active freelancers in the country and during last year, the country received $364 million investment through startups.
He hoped that Pakistan’s startups would emerge to compete with the e-commerce giants like Alibaba as more and more people registered on Amazon.
The SAPM said the country had around 110 million active internet users and the government was striving for enhancing the 3G and 4G connectivity to maximum areas which was an essential tool for e-commerce.
He told the gathering that the portal would impart freelancing education to youth, promote local products through localized portals. A National E-Commerce Council will also be established to accredit the freelancers for their worldwide recognition.
Moreover, the portal would also provide information on logistics companies, banks, online transfer facilities, shipment, market access, taxation, bookings for logistics.