ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Software Export Board Managing Director on Tuesday said that IT exports have increased by 35 per cent over last year with a forecast of $500 million in IT remittances for 2014-15.
According to a handout from Ministry of Information Technology, Asim Shahryar Hussain stated this during the 29th meeting of the Board of Directors of PSEB.
Hussain reported that the number of software houses and call centers registered with PSEB has increased by 12% during the first 8 months of 2014-15. He also pointed out that his department had setup a Pakistan Pavilion for the first time in the history of Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona where Pakistani companies demonstrated their expertise in design and development of mobile applications and games. Around 110 leads were generated from the event with an expected business value of $1 million, he said. He also mentioned that a Saudi group is exploring the option of acquiring different IT companies of Pakistan and then taking them public through IPOs. PSEB is their strategic partner and roadshows will be soon organized in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi in end of April for this purpose
Minister of State for IT, Ms. Anusha Rahman, directed PSEB to explore new incubation projects on the pattern of Google’s TechCity, which could be financed through SAARC Development Fund. The Minister further directed MD PSEB to concentrate on the CMMI certification project and that PSEB may train 5-6 auditors initially and then these auditors will audit and certify maturity level of IT companies with exports potential of $1 million a year or more. The agenda of the meeting was to assess the state of the IT industry of Pakistan and to evaluate the steps being taken to bolster long term growth of the IT Industry, to boost IT exports, and to attract investment for the IT Sector. CEO Netsol and Chairman Pakistan Software Houses Association (PASHA) represented the private sector.