KARACHI - Faisal Niaz Tirmazi, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UAE, and Usman Asif, CEO of Devsinc, Pakistan’s fast-growing IT company, engaged in a discussion on the sidelines of GITEX Global 2024. The high-profile discourse featured the rapid IT landscape in the Middle East and the role of Pakistan’s tech sector in this growth story. Keynotes of the conversation included strategic alliances between UAE and Pakistan to work together in contributing to the global digital economy through IT-friendly efforts.
Faisal Tirmazi on the collaboration added, “The success of IT startups in the Gulf region is tied to an ecosystem that fosters innovation, and that requires continued backing from both public and private sectors - something which we are confident about moving forward.” He further emphasized on building meaningful IT partnerships across the region, particularly in the UAE, which has become a global tech destination. “The UAE’s IT market is on track to grow by 8.1% each year, with its value expected to surpass USD 22 billion by 2025,” Tirmazi highlighted. He added that the wider Middle East is experiencing a similar boom, fueled by strong investments in AI, automation, and cloud technologies. “This creates a significant opportunity for Pakistan,” Tirmazi noted, stressing that Pakistan’s thriving IT sector already generates over USD 2 billion in exports annually, positioning the nation to capitalize on this regional growth.” Usman Asif, on the other hand, highlighted that Pakistani startups are playing a pivotal role in this ecosystem, making notable contributions to global IT growth. “Pakistani startups have raised over USD 365 million in the last two years, demonstrating their potential on a global scale. With 64% of our population under 30 and over 88 million internet users, Pakistan has both the talent and the market to become a key player in the region’s digital future,” he added. The need for investment in Pakistan’s startup community was another key focus. Usman emphasized that to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which make up 90% of exclusive private businesses in Pakistan, it is essential to build an enabling infrastructure.
“We need to create an ecosystem where tech startups can scale, access international markets, and contribute to regional growth. UAE and Pakistan, through strategic collaborations, can be at the forefront of this effort,” he said. Moving forward, Usman Asif and Ambassador Faisal Tirmazi agreed that Pakistan and the UAE are uniquely positioned to combine their strengths and drive digital enablement across the region. With the UAE’s advanced tech infrastructure and Pakistan’s expanding IT workforce, the two nations aim to foster bilateral collaborations that will fuel the region’s digital economy and create new growth opportunities.