Pakistan’s share in the global IT market stands at less than 0.04%, as revealed during a Senate Standing Committee meeting on IT and Telecommunication. Chaired by Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Kha, the committee examined the performance of the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and the Electronic Certification Accreditation Council (ECAC). 

 

Despite the global IT market being valued at $5 trillion, Pakistan’s contribution remains minimal, with IT exports seeing a 24% growth this year, consistent with last year’s figures.

 

The committee noted that 26,000 IT companies are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), with exports mainly directed towards the US (54%), Europe (21%), Gulf countries (10%), and the Asia Pacific (14%). 

 

The PSEB’s internship program, which trained 3,500 interns, came under scrutiny for its opaque operations. The committee demanded detailed information on the program’s participants and its financial management.

 

Senator Anusha Rehman raised concerns over discrepancies in PSEB’s data reporting, while Senator Afnanullah criticized the hiring practices within the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication. 

 

Additionally, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) briefed the committee on recent internet disruptions caused by submarine cable faults and VPN traffic, raising questions about the Twitter ban imposed by the Ministry of Interior.