In a month where Pakistan has secured around 10 million US dollars for its IT startups, while India has raised a staggering 1 billion US dollars, highlighting the significant gap between the two nations in the industry, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s remarks about the accelerated completion of the Information Technology Park project in Islamabad come as a much-needed boost. Projects like these are poised to bring immense benefits to Pakistan, similar to how the Arfa Kareem Tower in Lahore revitalized a stagnating IT industry and how the new smart city in Lahore aims to continue that momentum.

Such large investments and specialized infrastructure are crucial if Pakistan is to close the gap with other Asian countries that have excelled in IT outsourcing. However, the effort must go beyond merely creating specialized, tax-free infrastructure. Comprehensive policy-making is also essential. Supporting a thriving IT industry requires a strong foundation in education, with well-funded, well-run, state-of-the-art universities that equip students with the necessary skills. It calls for endowments to send the best and brightest abroad for further studies, coupled with incentives to encourage them to return to Pakistan. Competitive salaries are needed to retain top talent and prevent the brain drain to emerging centers in the Middle East and Silicon Valley. Tax breaks for successful IT companies, incentives for startups, and government assistance in capital seeding are also vital.

Perhaps most importantly, the IT industry in Pakistan needs a commitment to meritocracy. Pakistan has long been plagued by patronage politics and state-sponsored cronyism, particularly within the bureaucracy, where individuals with little knowledge or competence in their domain maintain their positions due to connections rather than merit.

This has led to the downfall of many promising sectors in Pakistan. The country’s sporting bodies serve as a prime example of the consequences of neglecting meritocracy and professionalism.