|
|
|
| February 21, 2007 | Wednesday | Safar 3, 1428 |
IT industry faces challenges
ISLAMABAD, Feb 20: Pakistan’s information technology market may be rapidly growing but the industry is up against challenges that could restrain it from emerging as an internationally recognised leading IT destination.
“Starting from a relatively low base in 2003, Pakistan’s IT industry has developed into a $2 billion market and growing. But can Pakistan sustain this growth,” asked Managing Director of the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) Yusaf Hussain at a presentation here on Tuesday.
Unlike India which had the IT manpower and specific marketing strategies by 1950 and had funding and management techniques by 1980, Pakistan’s skilled IT manpower achieved a good position by 2000.
He said since proper management of the industry in 2003, Pakistan had been one of the leading destinations for some leading businesses. Some of the multinational giants like NCR, IBM and the Chinese ZTE have grown over 400 percent in terms of human resource and office space.
Some IT establishments that used to be no more than mere service providers have risen as product developers.
With the total global IT spending reaching R1.045 trillion, Pakistan expected significant business coming its way.
While the industry has made impressive strides over the last three years, sustaining the growth will require strong measures that are part of an integrated strategic framework and vision.
The industry is rapidly growing at the rate of more than 57 percent per annum, Mr Hussain said.
He said PSEB expected the industry to grow into over ten billion dollars in annual turnover from several hundred million dollars services companies, leading product companies and development centres by 2010.
He stressed removal of GST on computers, dedicated marketing and PR strategies. Industry human resource development, increased industry financing and research are some of the weaknesses and the key areas that needed more work to achieve goals set by PSEB by 2010, he said.
|
|
|
|
